UNTITLED
by TessieBird
Summary: Set at the height of the Civil War, Keely Teslow is forced to move to a small town in Georgia that is surrounded by war. As she tries to adjust to her new life, she meets her long lost grandmother as well as a darkhaired stranger, who teach her a great de
1. Author's Note

A/N: Ok POTF fans, I'm seeking ur advice. I have an amazing idea for a story but I need ur approval. I've had the idea of writing a Pheely story set during the Civil War, but since it would be really hard to incorporate the whole idea of Phil being from the Future, I was simply thinking that I would just use the characters. Now before u start the riot that I'm sure I have caused, I understand fully that the core of Phil of the Future is that he is FROM the future, so if u think the idea just totally blows then I will abandon it and continue reading all of ur wonderful stories. Let me know!

Luv, TessieBird


	2. Chapter One

Untitled

Disclaimer: I do not own Phil of the Future, nor any of the characters associated with Phil of the Future. They solely belong to Disney and the Disney channel.

A/N: Just a warning to the readers. This story does not follow any of the premises set up by the writers of Phil of the Future. I know the whole point of the show (which is fabulous) is that he actually came from the future, but I felt that adding that particular conflict would take away from the main conflict of the Civil War. So Phil is not from the future at all, but is undeniably living in the present. I know that many of you readers out there don't like for the basics to be tampered with (this includes me personally) and I apologize (please don't sent me hate mail). If you have any problems with changing of plot or minor characteristic changes, then I suggest you do not read this story. I'm trying to make it a realistic as possible, and this means doing research, so my posts may not be up to date as much as you all might like (even though I hate it when I'm reading a really great story and then it just suddenly ends b/c there's no time to write more and… yeah). But I promise, if you just hang in there with me, this story is really going to kick ass. Keep sending your encouragements and any suggestions you might have. I'm definitely going to need it. Thanks.

TessieBird

P.S. - this is my first POTF fan fiction and I really hope u guys like it!

Chapter One

May 1862

A girl stared out the window of a horse-drawn carriage as it barreled aimlessly through the countryside, kicking up loose dirt with every turn of the wheels. She sat very straight, the small hands folded neatly in her lap. Her blonde curls were piled fashionably on top of her head, and the deep, intensely blue eyes, though aggravated by dust, stayed open, closing only to blink. She continued to stare as the trees and small farms whizzed past her. She could not have been more than 18 years old. The girl sighed.

"_How could she possibly be doing this to me?"_ the girl thought to herself. _"Prying me from my friends, my future in New York. And for what? A retched country home in retched Georgia where we're to live with a strange woman she claims to be my grandmother. Does she not realize we're in the middle of a war and she's settling us right in the middle of a seceded state? Why couldn't she have just been happy in New York where we were safe, where we weren't in any danger?"_

The girl sighed again.

"Keely."

The girl slowly removed her blue eyes from the passing country. She looked towards the woman sitting across from her and waited.

"Keely", the older woman repeated, a touch of annoyance in her voice. "What could possibly be wrong with you now?"

"You know perfectly well what's wrong with me, Mother," the girl called Keely answered, not bothering to hide the coldness that dripped from every word. "The same thing that has been wrong with me since we left New York this morning."

"Keely, don't you trust me to make the right decisions?"

Keely's eyes suddenly clouded over with anger.

"How can I, Mother? You've put both of our lives in danger to move into a complete stranger's house that is surrounded by war, and you expect me to trust you?"

"Lexington is far from any of the fighting that has occurred thus far. It's entirely safe. If it wasn't do you think your grandmother would still be living there?"

"My grandmother," scoffed Keely. "I've never even met her. How am I supposed to know? She's probably a raving lunatic if she still lives there."

"Oh, Keely! Do stop being so dramatic. Lexington is a wonderful little town. You'll meet knew people and make new friends. You'll adjust to it, if you just give it a chance! Think of what a grand adventure it will be. And stop scowling like that! You'll give yourself forehead wrinkles, dear."

_"Perfect. That's just perfect, Mother. We could be killed before we even reach this Lexington place, and all you can think about is forehead wrinkles."_

Keely spun back around to stare out the carriage window again. The sun was swiftly setting and the tall grasses swayed softly in the evening wind. It was turning into a brilliant evening. Though still stung by her mother's petty words, Keely's hard gaze softened considerably. She just couldn't stay upset when there was a perfect summer evening waiting for her outside. Her mother was right about one thing, however. This was to be a grand adventure, and Keely did love a good adventure.

A/N: Please review! If you like it great, if you don't, that's great too (just don't tell me.) Stay tuned.


	3. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I don't own POTF, it belongs to Disney. Blah blah blah.

Chapter Two

Nineteen year old Phillip Diffy stood outside the familiar gate guarding the large plantation house where he'd spent most of his youth.

"I've been gone far too long", he stated quietly to himself. Phillip opened that gate and practically ran up the walkway to the front door where he gave three swift knocks.

"Sit down, Tabitha, I shall get the door", commanded a strong familiar voice from inside the house.

Phillip quickly removed his hat and began twirling it between his hands in anticipation. He'd been looking forward to this moment ever since he left the town of Lexington, Georgia a year earlier.

After what seemed an eternity, the ancient front door flew open to reveal the old woman he admired so much. An immediate smile spread across her wrinkled face and lit up the crinkled eyes.

"Phil! You're back!" she breathlessly exclaimed. "Do come in." And with that she took his arm and led him through the doorway.

"Tabitha! Put some tea on. We've got company."

Phil let out a short laugh. "Old Tabitha's still here then?" he asked the old woman.

"Of course she is. She's the only family I've got." the old woman said humorously.

A sound like falling silverware sounded from the direction of the kitchen.

"Oh! Let me go check on Tabitha. She's not as keen as she used to be." laughed the old woman, dropping Phil's arm in the process. "Don't go anywhere, dear. I'll be back shortly." Phil watched as the old woman slowly made her way to the kitchen. The smile on his face diminished ever so slightly.

"_She seems so much older than she was a year ago", _he thought to himself. Phil looked around the extravagant foyer. Nothing seemed to have changed, but he had to check. Grinning mischievously, Phil walked briskly to the end of the hall, turned right, and opened the first door he saw.

Sunlight streamed through the open windows. A cool breeze gently blew the curtains to and fro. Dusty books lined the wall directly in front of him.

"A book for every place she visited." Phil whispered. He turned to his right and saw the old china cabinet she'd brought back from London years before. Slowly he made his way toward the old piece of furniture and discovered that nothing had been moved. All of the framed photographs were there, lined up in a row. The hundreds of letters written by all of her acquaintances from around the world were still stacked in piles, each tied with a small ribbon. He gently touched each stack and then moved to the first drawer, opening it hastily. His warm eyes became twice as bright. Inside the drawer were all the pictures he had drawn for her as a child. Phil continued digging through the drawer passing up his journal with the crumpled pages and his poetry books. Finally he found what he was searching for- the iron key he had found in her garden when he was 8 years old. Phil smiled wistfully. He remembered how he'd explained that he was giving her the key to his heart and she had better keep it forever lest he die of a broken heart. It all seemed so long ago now. Phil replaced the old key, gently shut the drawer, and rose to his full height coming face to face with his reflection in the full length mirror next to the old china cabinet. As he gazed at its familiarity he thought he could see the younger version of himself- dark hair, chiseled features, glowing and unafraid eyes- staring back at him. But the image slowly faded and he was left with the reflection on his present self- tall, dark, handsome, with his hat in one hand, the other in his pocket, but there was less glow in his eyes, and he was no longer unafraid, he realized.

"No", Phil thought to himself, frowning slightly. "I've seen too much."

Phil turned around slowly and made his way to the opposite side of the room. There stood the same circular table and straight back chairs where he and the old woman shared their afternoon tea during the summers. Phil sat down in his old chair and continued revolving his hat between his hands. He gazed around the room fondly. No matter how many times he visited, being in this room always amazed and inspired him.

A clutter and a clang brought him out of his reverie. A sharp voice followed.

"Tabitha, I can do it myself." An equally strong voice replied. "Oh, you think you can but you can't! The doctor said-."

"I don't care what the doctor said, Tabitha. I'm not an invalid. A can carry a tea tray.

Phil rose from the chair just as the old woman bustled in carrying a rather large tea tray.

"Ah, Phil. There you are. I knew you'd be in here."

Phil smiled down at the old woman. "Can I help you with that Mrs. Teslow?" he asked taking the tray from her hands.

"Oh, yes. Just put in on the table there and-"

"I mighta known!" interrupted the strong voice from the doorway. Phil and Mrs. Teslow quickly turned around. There stood Tabitha, Mrs. Tallow's household servant. She was a tall, well-built lady with dark skin and a large attitude.

"I mighta known you'd never accept help from anyone unless they was handsome." she scolded, shaking her finger toward Mrs. Teslow.

"O' course, if you have to accept it, I guess that'd be the way to go," Tabitha added as she walked toward Phil, taking the tear tray from him. Tabitha set the tray on the circular table and briskly walked right up to Phil, staring him directly in the eye, the scowl still on her face.

Phil stared down into the lined face and grinned mischievously.

"Howdy, Tabitha."

"Don't you howdy me, boy." She boomed good-naturedly and drew him into a large bear hug that squeezed the air from his lungs.

"Welcome back Phil. We sure did miss ya."

Phil returned the hug as best he could and said, "It's great to be back."

Tabitha released Phil and looked up into his handsome face. His brown eyes were exactly the same and his smile was as joyous as ever and yet… there was a touch of sadness in his face that she had never seen in all the years she had known him. However, she dismissed the notion, patted him affectionately on the shoulder and lumbered off through the doorway, stopping only to say, "You best watch her, Phil."

Phil stared, confused, after Tabitha.

"_What could she possibly mean by that?"_

Phil turned back toward Mrs. Teslow and found her chuckling softly. Once again, he was reminded of how much more fragile and old she looked from a year ago. She seemed much thinner than he remembered. The skin on her face looked drawn back and tight over her high cheek bones. Her gray hair was now laced with white. Only the bright eyes and comforting smile seemed unchanged.

Phil walked over to the circular table that held the tea tray, and placed his hat next to it.

"Let's sit down and have some tea, shall we Mrs. Teslow? And I'll tell you all about my trip."

Mrs. Teslow smiled happily and carefully lowered herself into the chair across from Phil.

"That would be lovely."

A/N: You know the drill. Send your reviews and suggestions. No Flames- they discourage me. Stay tuned it gets better!


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers. Keep it up!

Once again, Keely sat in the back of the carriage, enduring every bump that hit her. Well into her fourth day of travel, Keely was beginning to wonder if they would ever get to Georgia. Deeming it impossible, she turned once more toward the window to watch the passing scenery. As the trees and bushes whizzed pass the carriage, she couldn't help but wonder what her mother had gotten them into this time. After all, the only thing she knew about Georgia was that there was a long lost grandmother eagerly waiting for them. Georgia could be an entirely different world from New York. What if she couldn't handle it?

Unable to take the thought of her own weakness a second longer, Keely burst out suddenly, "Mother, why are we doing this? Why are you doing this to me?"

"Keely, we've already been over this. Georgia is perfectly capable of providing us the same amount of safety we could get in New York, if not more. And besides, you need a change of scenery, something different. I've heard that there are plenty of young plantation owners in Lexington. Maybe we could work up some sort of arrangement."

Keely sighed exasperatedly. "Mother, please don't turn this trip into one of your attempts to marry me off. I don't want to get married, not yet."

"Oh, Keely. You don't know what you want. If you wait too long, all of the good prospects will be taken by some half-wit, money hungry, girl with no fortune of her own, and no looks or brains. You're much too good to end up like that. Why, when I was younger…"

But Keely had tuned her mother out and continued to stare out her window.

_"I would never end up like that._ _And if I do ever marry, it wouldn't be for money."_, she thought as she leaned back in her seat and shut her eyes.

"Keely. Keely, wake up."

Keely slowly opened her eyes to see her mother's face peering into her own.

"Would you like me to tell you more about your grandmother?" her mother asked.

Despite the fact that Keely knew she was only trying to play nice after their disagreement. She nodded anyway.

Her mother continued. "She's always lived in Georgia, ever since she was little. I understand that she still lives in the same house, though she rarely stayed there during her younger days. Your father told me that she loved to travel, and was absent from much of his childhood- except on birthdays and Christmas, of course…"

Keely felt a rush of emotion course through her body at the mention of her father's childhood. It hadn't been such a long time since she herself had been a little girl and her own mother had been missing her childhood. Keely had spent much of her time with her father whom she had loved very much. She remembered once when she had been missing her mother and her father had scooped her up in his arms, tweaked her on the nose and said, "You cry awful pretty." Coming out of her reverie, Keely smiled to herself. That memory had always made her smile when she was feeling bad or alone, especially after the many quarrels she had with her mother.

It was then that she realized her mother had stopped talking. Taking her eyes from the carriage window, Keely turned back to her mother only to find her reading an official looking letter to herself.

"What's that?" Keely questioned her mother suspiciously.

Startled, Keely's mother looked up and hastily and re-folded the letter. "This? Oh, it's nothing. Just a letter from a friend back in New York.

Keely stared at her mother for a moment, before turning her eyes to the setting sun directly outside her window. She felt extremely alone.

A/N: You know what to do. Anything (except flames) are appreciated. Stay tuned.


	5. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: My associate and I do not own Phil or his future, though we sometimes wish we did. Don't sue, we have no money.

A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers.

Chapter Four

"…so I was frantically reeling in my line, thinking I had successfully caught the biggest fish that South Carolina had to offer, and up out of the water, clinging desperately to the bait was the smallest crab I have ever had the pleasure to meet."

Mrs. Teslow burst out laughing and Phil joined in.

For the past two hours Phil had been recounting the experiences of his year spent away from Lexington in the comfort of Mrs. Teslow's sitting room.

"Obviously, I have no talent for fishing", Phil said, taking a sip of his tea.

The older woman continued to laugh loudly, becoming choked in the process. Pulling a linen handkerchief from her dress pocket, she politely cleared her throat.

"Mrs. Teslow, are you alright? Can I get you anything?" Phil asked, concern filling his voice.

"Oh, it's nothing dear. You tell the most humorous stories." Mrs. Teslow said, dismissing the topic with a wave of her hand.

Phil looked at her skeptically, not fully convinced she was telling the truth, and stood up to pour her a glass of water anyway.

"Phil, I'm fine." she said good naturedly, taking the water. "Tell me. What else did you do while you were away?" she asked as he sat down again. "You couldn't have fished for a whole year. I imagine you would have starved!"

Phil laughed for a moment, then smiled wistfully. "No, ma'm. After traveling around a bit, I figured I'd better try to make some money, or else I wouldn't be making it back to Lexington. So I started taking on odd jobs here and there, but none of them really paid any good money… and unfortunately my food supply was about gone."

Mrs. Teslow smiled at the thought of Phil without food. He'd always had a hearty appetite.

"Anyway, I'd always enjoyed writing, as you know, so I thought I'd try my hand at it. I hopped the first train to Charleston and found myself a job with the newspaper."

"Phil, that's wonderful! You must have really enjoyed that. What did they have you doing?"

"Well, at first I wasn't even writing. The boss had me working the printing press. I had to ink the machines. Every day I went back to my flat covered in ink. I remember one time the ink was so thick the doorman wouldn't let me in. I had to wait on the front steps until the little old lady that lived next door told the doorman I lived there."

By now Mrs. Teslow was laughing so hard, tears were streaming down her crinkled cheeks. "Oh, Phil. You must've been horrified!"

"Actually, no. It was rather amusing- not just for me either. I'm quite positive that every patron in the building had a good laugh.

"So when did you actually start writing for them?", Mrs. Teslow asked.

"Well, I guess I had been working there for about five months when one of the boss's regulars, a fiery Irishman by the name of Brian Muldoon, barged in and began complaining about his assignment. So I offered to help him write his piece. Turns out nearly everybody in Charleston picked up the paper that day. This Brian fellow credited me with most of the work and the editor offered me a steady job writing for him."

"How extraordinary! So I'm assuming you went on many adventures with your writing, hmm?"

Phil suddenly became very quiet and a strange expression came over his face and traveled to his eyes. He looked down as though he was deep in thought.

Mrs. Teslow watched him for several minutes and finally broke the silence.

"Phil? Are you alright?" she asked quietly, touching him gently on the arm.

He seemed to break out of his thoughts with a start. "What? Oh, yes. I'm fine.", he said softly, avoiding her gaze. "I'm feeling tired, Mrs. Teslow. Will you please excuse me?"

"Of course, Phil. You will come back tomorrow, won't you?"

"Yes", he said as he stood up, took his hat from the table, and kissed her gently on the cheek. "I'll be back tomorrow. Thank you for the tea." And he walked out, turning his hat rapidly between his hands.

Mrs. Teslow stared after him for a moment and then made her way slowly towards the open window, watching as Phil walked through the iron gate. He had left her with many questions. What had happened that made him react so strongly to her innocent query? What had he seen out there? And most importantly, why had he left in the first place and what had brought him home again?

A/N: Questions, comments, complaints, suggestions? All are welcome. Don't forget to review. It is greatly appreciated. I'll give you a cookie. Stay tuned.


	6. Chapter Five

A/N: Thanks a lot to all the reviewers. And I think we should all give a big YEHAW to the writers of the last two epis of POtF. Who freaked out? Be honest. We baked cookies for the reviewers but then we ate them. Oops. We'll give reviewers something different. PLZ REVIEW!

Disclaimer: we own nothing

Chapter 5

Phil lay in his bed with his hands behind his head staring absent-mindedly at the ceiling. He sighed loudly and looked around his hotel room. The kerosene lamp resting on his side table was barely emitting any light and the dingy wall paper was peeling slightly away from its foundation. The vanity mirror was cracked. An odd odor was filtering through the open window and the off-color curtains were blowing gently in the breeze.

"This room is miserable. I should've stayed with Mrs. Teslow," he said loudly to no one in particular.

Phil climbed out of bed and slowly walked toward the open window, leaning his head against the window frame. His thoughts flew back to his previous conversation with Mrs. Teslow. Never in all the years he had known her had he ever felt that uncomfortable in her presence. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her what had happened while he was away, he did. But something happened inside him every time he thought back to that particular assignment.

About a month ago the editor of the _Charleston Daily Courier_ had been receiving a large number of complaints about the lack of information concerning the war. So, in an effort to please his readers, the editor had sent out a number of field reporters to gather information. Phil happened to be one of those reporters. He had been sent to a small town in Tennessee called Shiloh.

After traveling for three days, Phil had arrived only to find Shiloh in a state of chaos. Women and children were packing frantically and looking to the east as if expecting something. There was a sense of urgency and terror spreading throughout the town. A small shiver coursed through Phil's body. Something was definitely wrong.

Phil turned to his left and saw a small building marked HOTEL. As he entered through the large doors he was met with desolation. No one was there.

"How odd." Phil thought to himself as he headed to the clerk's desk. Finding no one there he abruptly rang the small bell on the corner of the desk. Nobody responded.

"Hello?" he said as he glanced around the room. Seeing no one he leaned over the clerk's desk and was met with a pair of magnified, watery grey eyes.

"AAHH!" Phil yelled jumping back from the desk in a panic.

"You id'nt a Yank are ya?" the bizarre clerk asked as he slowly peeked his head out from under his shelter desk.

"No! No.", Phil answered, still shaken. "I'm a reporter. I… I need a room."

"Won't be wantin' one 'round here. Word is that the Yanks are a-comin' t'start some trouble. If it weren't fer this hotel, I'd be out to meet them with the rest o' the boys. Damn Yankees.", the clerk replied angrily.

"You mean there's an army around here?", Phil asked, his curiosity building.

"O' course there is, best boys in the south fightin' there.", he answered proudly.

Phil continued excitedly. "Fighting? There's fighting here? Right now?" This could be his big story. An actual battle and he, Phillip Diffy, would be there to cover it.

"Say, what if one wanted to enlist? Where would he have to go?

"You wantin' to join up, huh?", the clerk beamed enthusiastically. "Any man who wants to fight for the south is welcome in my hotel any day. What you need to do is go on the outskirts and head south until you hit Fraley Field. The troops should be on the other side."

"Thank you, sir", Phil said and took the room key the clerk offered him. He felt slightly guilty for lying to the clerk, but he couldn't join the Confederacy. There were just certain things that he wouldn't do.

The next morning, Phil was stirred from his sleep by the sound of terrified screaming and the smell of smoke. Assuming the worst, Phil jumped out of bed and raced to the window. The air was filled with hazy smoke making it nearly impossible to see through, but still the screaming continued. Turning from the window, Phil pulled on his clothes from the day before and grabbed his notepad and pen from the bedside table. Once downstairs, Phil pulled open the front doors and stood in shock. The town had dramatically changed from the previous day.

Off in the distance, he heard the unmistakable sound of cannon fire. He saw the small sparks of fire that could only belong to a rifle. Cries of agony could be heard echoing through the streets. Thousands of bodies lay in the road as volunteer nurses tried desperately to console the wounded. Phil stepped down from the front porch of the hotel, and into the road. Blood glistened in the dirt.

_"The clerk was right." _, Phil thought. This was not how he had envisioned his story. It was stupid to think that war was a romantic fantasy fit for a writer's amusement. A wave of guilt washed over him and he immediately dropped his notes. Phil ran through row after row of wounded men, trying to find some way to help. Finally, he spotted a nurse standing a few feet away, a bucket and ladle at her side.

"Please", Phil called, running up to her. "Please. Let me help."

The nurse stood up, turned towards him and said sadly, "I don't reckon there's anyway to help him now. It's a pity, him bein' so young. Just stay with him. That's all you can do." With that she walked away to help the next man down the row.

Phil quickly removed is jacket and rolled up his sleeves. Kneeling down next to the man, he found that the nurse was right. He was extremely young, only a boy, not more than 15 or 16 years old. His clothes were torn and he wore no shoes. He was covered in blood.

"Hi there," Phil said in the strongest voice he could muster. "I'm Phil. What's your name?"

"Joshua", the boy said softly, shivering uncontrollably.

"Are you cold?", Phil asked, reaching for his jacket.

Joshua nodded and whispered, "Thirsty, too."

Phil reached over to the bucket the nurse had left behind, scooped out some water, and propped up Joshua's head with his forearm. Placing his jacket over him, Phil gently brought the ladle to Joshua's lips, watching as he slowly drank it. Suddenly, Joshua began to cough violently. Phil immediately reached for his jacket pocket and pulled out a handkerchief as Joshua began coughing up blood. After the coughing fit was over, Phil noticed that Joshua's hand was clamped tightly around something.

"What have you got there, Joshua?", he asked curiously.

Joshua looked down and unclenched his fist slowly. There laid a small photograph. Phil picked it up and saw the image of three people; a middle-aged woman, a boy about his own age, and the last was clearly Joshua.

"Is this your family?" Phil asked.

Joshua nodded and began to talk. "It's my mother and my older brother Stephen. I ran away after my brother decided to join up… he's dead now." Joshua closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again, there were tears. "I loved my brother so much, and now… he's gone." The tears began to spill down his cheeks. "I wished I'd never left", he said sadly. "I wish I could see my mother again."

"Oh, I'm sure you will," Phil said, his voice cracking a little. "Once you get out of here," he added trying to reassure him.

Joshua stared up into the smoky sky, then glanced over toward Phil. "Do you have a family?", he asked.

Phil thought for a moment before answering. "No. Not a real one." Mrs. Teslow's image flashed in his head. "I had an old friend once.", he added. "She was like family."

Joshua looked at Phil seriously. "Why did you leave her, then?", he asked quietly.

Phil looked down at Joshua before answering truthfully. "I don't really know. I suppose I needed an adventure. Now I'm not so sure."

Joshua swallowed and stared up into Phil's eyes. "Phil, don't go searching for adventure. You should never leave the ones who love you, because in the end they're all you've got."

Phil thought carefully about Joshua had said and he knew exactly what he had to do.

"Phil", Joshua whispered. "I want to go home."

Phil looked down at Joshua and saw the tears running down his face. His eyes were barely open and his breathing was becoming shallow. He took one of Joshua's hands in his. They were as cold as ice. Phil watched as Joshua's eyes closed completely and felt his hand slip from his grasp. A single tear rolled down Phil's cheek.

"Me too.", he whispered back, and he placed his bloodstained jacket over Joshua's pale face. "Me too."

Phil forced himself to end his epiphany there and found himself wiping the same tear from his cheek. Joshua wasn't the only person he had seen die that day in Shiloh, but the wisdom he possessed was the force that had brought him back to Lexington.

Phil stared out the window again, looking at the town below him. In a world where everything was changing, including himself, it had been remarkably changed very little. Phil stood at the window, seeing nothing, consumed by his own thoughts. He didn't see the carriage that slowly came to a halt in from of Mrs. Teslow's gate.

A/N: Another chapter finished. It took us a really long time to write this one but we were really inspired by the POtF episodes on Friday and also b/c we went and saw a play that focused around the Civil War. Awesome stuff that. But moving on. Reviewers are awesome! Stay tuned.


	7. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: nothing belongs to us.

A/N: READ THIS ITS VERY IMPORTANTE!

If yall don't start reviewing we will quit writing this story. We thrive on ur reviews and there's just not enough of them. Get with it ppl. Tell ur friends and neighbors, tell ur moms and ur greasy grannys, get this story out there. Does ur brother like POtF? Great.! Tell him to read the story. Spread the news and review about it. What do you like? What don't you like? What makes ur heart break and makes a tear come to your eye? Do you have any suggestions to make this story better? Remember, this is all for the fans and if the fans fail to review we're just going to have to close up shop and leave ya hanging. I know that the story is going really slow but it'll get better, trust me. It's really a good'n. SO! Inform the fans on ur Phil websites. If you believe that this story is going somewhere, show us by spreading the word. You will be doing us a huge favor!

SPOILER: I feel like we're being really jerky, not getting the good stuff out there so here are some spoilers/dialogue for the story later on.

_"Then why do I feel the way I feel?"_

_"I found myself in the vicinity and thought I'd stop by"_

_"If there's one thing I despise, loathe, and abominate it's a…" (_ooh, cliffy!)

_"Will you play for me?"_

_"Bravery comes from the heart, not from the head, Phil"_

_"I'll take a rolling pin to ya!"_

Can you guess who says these things? ON WITH THE STORY!

Chapter Six

_"Finally", _Keely thought as her carriage came to a halt. _"We're here." _ The door of the carriage opened and Keely slowly stepped out into the cool night air and breathed in deeply. The air smelled distinctly different from the polluted streets of New York. It was different and she liked it.

"Well… this is _quaint_" her mother said sarcastically from the other side of the carriage

Keely rolled her eyes and ignored her mother as she continued to look at her surroundings. There were plains as far as the eye could see. The night sky seemed endless as the stars twinkled above her. Turning to her right , Keely could see the town clearly in the moonlight. It was very small and looked empty. She could make out several tiny shops and many restaurants. It _was_ quaint, but in a good way. Looking back up the dirt road Keely saw a building that was obviously meant to be a hotel. It was very run down and completely dark save for one room on the second floor. Looking closer, Keely could make out the figure of a person, unmistakably a man, standing inside the window. She was surprised to find that her attention was immediately drawn to the figure in the window, as if she were supposed to notice him. As she continued to watch him, Keely wondered why he wasn't seeing her as well. He seemed to be staring right at her but he made no sign indicating that he had noticed her at all. Feeling sure that he had not seen her, Keely began to turn away, but was stopped by the sudden movement of his hand to his cheek. As soon as the motion had occurred, his hand dropped to his side and he continued staring into the night, seemingly at nothing.

"Do you plan on staying out here all night?" her mother demanded, brining Keely eyes away from the man in the window. "Or are you going to come in like a civilized person?"

"I'm coming, Mother." Keely called back. She turned once more to look up at the window and found that the light had been extinguished. All that was left were the curtains blowing in the light breeze.

Keely walked around the back end of the carriage and was met with the grandeur of a beautiful plantation home.

Through the iron-gate stood a two stories high house with six pillars standing in front. Two chimneys stood high above the red shingled roof while smoke protruded from the open tops. Eight windows, all thrown open against the heat, were evenly spaced around the front entrance. Several steps led up to the porch that encircled the entire house. The house glowed white in the pale moonlight.

Keely's mouth dropped open slightly in amazement. It was beautiful. She'd always imagined that if she had to live in the country, she would live in a house like this one.

"Keely!", her mother snapped and strode over to where Keely was standing. "Shut your mouth", she added forcing Keely's jaw shut with her index finger. "You look like a gaping fish!"

Keely continued to gawk at her new surroundings as she progressed through the gate and farther up the path. When she reached the steps, she noticed two occupied rocking chairs swaying back and forth. In the first sat a rather large, dark skinned lady, obviously not who they had come to see. Her face looked pleasant enough, if not slightly intimidating. The second woman though, rose gracefully from the old chair and made her way toward Keely who stood quietly on the steps.

As the two pairs of blue eyes fell upon each other, Keely felt the overwhelming sense that she had known this woman all her life. She felt very secure here. The older woman smiled a smile; so much like her own and Keely couldn't help smiling back.

However, instead of striking up conversation, the older lady continued to smile, and Keely began to wonder if something was wrong.

"Is something the matter", Keely asked hesitantly, beginning to feel uncomfortable.

The older woman shook her head the same smile spread across her face.

"Nothing, dear. Nothing at all. It's just… I would've recognized you anywhere."

A/N: And scene! Don't forget to review. Its soooo important. Stay tuned for the next segment. I think its about time Phil and Keely met don't you?


	8. Chapter Seven

A/N: Yay to reviewers. We'd like to thank you for your words of encouragement and critiques.

To soundgear: You rock out loud! Thanks for being brave and pointing out the problems. We'd like you to know that we feel the same way about adding more in each chapter and it moving too slow with no action. We're trying to build up the characters so you can feel like you know them separately and not just Pheely the set. Also we want the reader's to be able to notice personality changes and the relationships between the characters and the changes that happen inside of them. This last chapter was difficult b/c 1) we hadn't posted in like two weeks so we kinda lost the story for a while (don't worry its been relocated.) and 2) we are exhausted from school. So that's our explanation for lack of interest in the last chapter. And in your review you said something about review signed check thingy. What exactly is this? We're not that bright. We're from Texas. (j/k Texans! Texans are real smart!) also ur from our region of the south that we're writing about so any suggestions (or flaws in our southern knowledge) that you feel like pointing out to us will be greatly appreciated. So that's really long…

To tvfvanatic26: yes they do

To klmitton: sadly Phil is not from the future b/c Civil War and Future don't really mix in our opinion. I'm sure we could make it work but it would get all confusing and it probly would not be that great.

To futuristic-dudette: wow! Llamas in a bowler's hat huh? Now that's fancy. Excellent word play.

Chapter Seven

"Excuse me?" Keely sputtered, unsure of what to think.

The older woman paused for a moment and stared fixedly upon Keely's face, while the same pleasant expression remained upon hers. However, just as soon as the fond look appeared on the wrinkled face, it faded, and the older woman turned feebly towards Keely's mother.

"Hello", the older woman greeted in a warm voice.

"Hello… Mrs. Teslow"

Keely was surprised to find that her mother's voice contained none of the warmth expressed by the other woman.

"Would you like to come in? Tabitha can start on a pot of tea if you'd like."

"No, that won't be necessary," Keely's mother answered. "Keely, come along."

"Keely?" Mrs. Teslow repeated as they walked through the front door and into the foyer. "That's a lovely name."

But Keely wasn't listening. She, instead, was gazing around at the extravagance of the house. The ceiling went on forever, it seemed. The staircase located at the far end of the hall curved upward in a beautiful slope. There were rooms everywhere she looked, and to her right, through one of the numerous wooden doors stood a grand piano.

"Keely!" her mother's voice demanded abruptly. "Did you hear what I said? Your room will be up the stairs. I do wish you would pay attention to what people are saying and stop daydreaming."

"Yes Mother," Keely replied still looking at the piano, "I was only looking at the house. It's fascinating, don't you think?"

However, before he mother could answer, Mrs. Teslow cut in. "Do you play Keely", she asked.

"Play what?"

"The piano. I saw you looking at it."

"Umm…. Yes, I do a little, but……

"But…." her mother interrupted rudely. "I'm sure you'll excuse us. We are obviously very tired. It was a long trip."

"Yes, of course," Mrs. Teslow said, ignoring the younger women's rudeness. "I understand completely. Maybe some other time, Keely," she added as she turned to lead them to their rooms.

Keely smiled and nodded slowly, as she turned from the beautiful piano and followed the older lady upstairs.

Keely awoke the next morning to sound of someone creating quite a ruckus in her room. She immediately opened her eyes and sprung forward in her bed, only to find the women called Tabitha bustling around her room.

"Good mornin', Miss Keely," she called pleasantly "Did you sleep well?

"Uh… yes," she said, still drowsy. "And you can just call me Keely"

Tabitha smiled and continued moving items from her trunk into the large wardrobe in the corner.

"Can I help you with that", Keely asked meekly, getting up from the bed and walking over to where Tabitha stood.

"Wouldn't mind that too much, I reckon".

After everything was set in its proper place, Tabitha and Keely stood back to admire their handiwork.

"Well, now that that's done, I think you best git dressed for breakfast," Tabitha said, wiping her hands on her apron. "Might be havin' a guest drop by", she added winking slyly.

Keely smiled to herself and made her way over to her wardrobe to pick out a suitable outfit for breakfast.

Twirling once more in front of the mirror, Keely deemed herself adequate enough to make a rather stunning appearance at breakfast, and began to walk towards the door.

The doorknob turned.

"Keely.", her grandmother greeted her. "You look lovely, dear."

"Thank you, uh…" Keely stammered, unsure of what to call her.

Mrs. Teslow smiled. "You can call me…" she pondered a moment. "Gran. I'd like that."

"All right then, Gran", Keely replied, surprised at how easy it was to talk to her. "I like it too."

Mrs. Teslow beamed. "You really do look lovely, Keely. And that's very important for a woman. You never know who'll decide to pop in. Shall we go down for breakfast?"

And with that she left the room as unannounced as she'd come. Keely grinned. "How peculiar", she thought and headed out the door.

_I said I'd come back tomorrow._

That's the only reason Phil had decided to get up that morning. He couldn't disappoint her. So, with thoughts of his sleepless night forced into the back of his mind, Phil grabbed his hat and jacket and made his way toward Mrs. Teslow's. His attitude immediately improved- he'd missed Tabitha's pancakes.

Keely looked across the table to where her grandmother was sitting.

"Do you expect me to eat all of this?"

Tabitha's booming laughter rang from the kitchen. "Well 'course I do! This here's good ol' fashioned Southern cooking. You're too skinny anyhow. I'm looking to put some meat on them bones."

Keely smiled into her pancake. If her mother heard such talk of fattening her up, she would need smelling salts.

"Gran. Where's my mother?"

"She was tired from the trip, Keely. She asked for a tray to be sent up a few minutes ago."

"Oh." Leave it to her mother to treat these people like her own personal servants.

Keely began to look around as she took in her enormous breakfast.

"Your house really is beautiful, Gran. I've always dreamed of living in such a house."

"Yes, it's a fine old house. I'm quite fond of it, especially the gardens. The one with the gazebo is my personal favorite. I've got the key around here somewhere…"

"TABITHA!" cried a very unfamiliar, masculine voice that made Keely jumped a mile out of her seat. "I want a pancake", it continued. "I could smell them all the way down at the..."

At that moment, a boy walked into the dining room through the kitchen door, holding a glass of milk in one hand and a hat in the other. Keely watched as he came to a halt. His eyes grew wide and his cheeks reddened slightly as he finished his sentence.

"…at the, um, hotel."

He was very handsome. He had dark hair and dark, expressive eyes. His features were chiseled and he looked… very embarrassed to be standing there at the moment, which Keely thought, made him all the more attractive. He had set his glass on the table and had begun twirling the hat between his hands. Suddenly, the hat stopped and Keely watched as he ran his fingers across his cheek, brushing away something non existent. A very familiar gesture. She'd seen him somewhere before.

"YOU!" she cried aloud, jumping to her feet and pointing an accusing finger.

Both Mrs. Teslow and the boy whipped their heads around, curiously.

"Excuse me?" the boy asked, confused.

"In the window. I saw…and you…last night…the window."

_"Wonderful", thought Keely. "I'm not making a bit of sense. That's a grand first impression. The blithering idiot."_

She sat back down in her chair and stared intensely at her half eaten pancake. _"They really were delicious",_ Keely found herself thinking. She chanced a look at the boy and immediately regretted it. His head was cocked to the side and one eyebrow was raised questionably. He looked amused, like he was laughing at her. She hated him.

"Are you alright?" he asked coyly.

She hated him more.

He hadn't expected to see a perfect stranger sitting in Mrs. Teslow's dining room. But there she was, all the same. A prim and proper girl in a fancy dress with golden curls piled on top of her head. And he'd been worried about pancakes. That was the farthest thing from his mind now. _"She probably thinks I'm a very rude person. And a sissy too, because I'm blushing"._ And it didn't help that she was very beautiful. Her big blue eyes stared him down and then quite suddenly she'd jumped up and accused him of something.

"YOU!" she'd shouted very loudly, causing him to whip his head around. Then she'd started muttering about windows and seeing him last night. He'd never seen this girl in his life. He was quite certain he would've remembered if he had. Then it dawned on him. Last night. By the hotel window. He had been crying about Joshua and had brushed away a tear.

_"Well, that's masculine."_ he thought bitterly. So he tried to cover it up with smugness.

"Are you alright?" he'd asked arrogantly.

And he could tell by the look on her face, that she disliked him…very much.


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Keely faced her reflection in the bureau mirror while furiously brushing out her long, blonde hair. Frustration and disappointment were written all over her face. Needless to say, her first day in Lexington hadn't gone the way she wanted at all. She sighed deeply and stomped over to the window, surveying the dark Georgia night. The moon shone brightly and a soft breeze fluttered through the window. Keely set down her brush and stood at the window. Twinkling stars filled the night sky as far as the eye could see. It couldn't be a more lovely night. Keely eyes wondered across the way toward the old hotel. His light was one. Her blue eyes darkened in memory of her "pleasant" day with Phillip Diffy.

"Keely, I would like you to meet someone" Mrs. Teslow began and seeing the deadpan expression on Keely's face, cautiously turned from Keely to face Phil. Mrs. Teslow hastily pulled Phil in front of her.

"This is Phillip Diffy, Keely. He's a very dear and very old friend of mine."

"_Ha!" _Keely scoffed bitterly_. "He hardly looks much older than me. How can he be such and "old friend"?_

"Phil, this is Keely Teslow…my granddaughter."

Nothing could describe the look of surprise that passed through Phil's eyes at that moment. It was quickly replaced by something else that disappeared as quickly as it had come. He swallowed his emotions and stepping forward said, "Pleased to meet you, Miss Teslow" even though he felt nothing but contempt for the young woman sitting in front of him.

Though she was pleasantly surprised by his kind gesture, she knew it was only the common courtesy of a southern gentlemen. Besides, Keely could see his dislike for her in his eyes. She stepped forward anyway and replied, "And you as well, _Mr_. Diffy" adding a slight bite to his name.

As the day progressed, each moment seemed to drag by painfully. The tension between the two was almost too much to bear. In fact she was pleased and relieved when her mother barged in the dining area, fully dressed and seemingly refreshed, to announce that she was taking her daughter in to town to purchase necessity item she felt they would be needing now that they were living in the country. Keely's day ended as painfully as it had begun, and now she was nursing a ghastly headache from hours of shopping with her mother. Keely gently laid her head against the window sill.

"I've spent one day in Lexington, and I feel as if I would be better off in New York", she said out loud to nobody in particular.

"You musn't think like that, Keely, or else you'll never see anything at all."

Keely quickly spun around and came face to face with her grandmother.

"Oh Gran, I didn't mean it like that. I've just had a stressful day, that's all", Keely apologized quickly.

"I won't pretend I hadn't noticed the tension between Phil…Mr. Diffy and yourself, but you musn't judge him too harshly. He's had a rough time in the past, and I fear he's had a rough time recently, as well" She paused for a moment and then continued. "He won't tell me though. How I wish he would."

Keely interest immediately sparked. "How do you mean, Gran? He seemed so…arrogant and condescending.

Mrs. Teslow smiled and chuckled for a moment. "Oh he certainly was that. Even when he was young. I supposed he had to be though, after…well nevermind. No reason to go and feel sorry for him. In fact, you could say he…"

Her sentence ended abruptly as she began to cough violently.

Keely quickly rose from her spot at the window and ran toward her grandmother.

"Gran! Are you alright? Here, let me help you."

Keely led Mrs. Teslow over toward her bureau stool and sat her down as the older woman's coughs receded. Mrs. Teslow pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her mouth.

" Thank you dear, but I'm fine. Well, I'll bid you goodnight. Sleep well, Keely." And with that, she walked out the door leaving Keely alone with her thoughts. Keely stared, worried, after her grandmother. Her coughing fit had come on so suddenly. She had been caught off guard and had almost forgotten Mr. Diffy's unfinished story. She glanced out the window, once more. The light was still on.


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Dear Fans,

We realize that we are just a bunch of mean jerks and we apologize for not posting in months and months. So this chapter is going to be really super special and will be dedicated to yall that like our story. Woot

Luv The Girls

P.S- introducing a new character, slightly reminiscent of Owen but a lot more snooty and conceited with random outbursts of anger. DO NOT LIKE HIM!

Phil was quite certain he'd never had a day as long and uncomfortable as he had today. It was unmistakable. Miss Keely Teslow was a spoiled little rich girl. He'd suspected it the moment he had seen her sitting at that kitchen table. With her perfect attire and high class appearance, he was certain she was used to getting everything she wanted. And her eagerness to spend a perfectly beautiful day shopping only reinforced his suspicions. He knew exactly where Miss Teslow's behavior had come from, too; that mother of hers. She had treated him with disgust not unlike the way Southerners treated their slaves. He remembered the way her eyes scoured over his entire body before she walked out of Mrs. Teslow's house, Keely at her heels. He'd seen that particular look many times over the past months; a look of distrust laced with fear. Obviously, he'd made a bad impression on the Teslow women.

But with the revelation of Mrs. Teslow's newfound family came a feeling of bothersome shock he had not associated with Mrs. Teslow before. She was his oldest friend, practically the only family he'd ever had, and he couldn't shake the feeling that somehow…he'd been lied to. But the invasion of strangers in his life with Mrs. Teslow made him feel highly uncomfortable, like he didn't belong after all. Phil looked toward the window in his hotel room. The upstairs light in Mrs. Teslow's house slowly dimmed, then finally died, leaving him alone in a place that had once seemed like home.

Early June 1862

Two Weeks Later

It was raining…but it was beautiful. Keely sat by the parlor window watching the sheets fall peacefully over the countryside. You didn't get rain like this in New York; the kind of rain that could wash away anything. It had been raining for days and still Keely couldn't get enough of it. The only downside was that while she was in from the rain, Phil Diffy was as well. Continuous amounts of rain meant a continuous amount of problems for the run down hotel that Phil was staying at. Keely had awakened one morning to find a drenched Mr. Diffy asleep on the divan by the fireplace. Apparently he had shown up early that morning driven out of his room by a heavy leak in the roof. He had been there ever since.

Keely smiled at the memory. He'd looked exactly like a drowned rat she'd encountered with her father. Keely's face suddenly fell. Her father had loved the rain, too. He had always told her that anyone who'd ever said sunshine brought happiness had never danced in the rain. Her mother never failed to scold him for putting ridiculous thoughts into her head but Keely's father had always told her they'd dance in the rain together. But they'd never gotten the chance. Keely continued staring out the window, her eyes tearing up. She missed him so much. She failed to hear footsteps echoing on the hardwood floor leading to the parlor and didn't look up as somebody entered the room hastily.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize anybody would be…uh in…in here." Phil stumbled on his words as he saw Keely sitting in the window.

Keely's head whipped around at his voice and quickly reddened when she saw Phil staring at her. She quickly stood up, recovering her composure, and replied haughtily, "Well, you were wrong, weren't you?"

Phil's eyes darkened with distaste. "Were you crying?" he demanded.

"No! No, I wasn't." Keely quickly tried to rush past Phil in search of a quick exit but he caught her elbow and turned her back to face him.

"Please move, you're in my way. And let go of me!"

"Well what could a spoiled little girl such as yourself possibly have to cry about?"

Keely was appalled. Nobody had ever spoken to her like that before. She most certainly wasn't spoiled and she was not a little girl.

"That's none of your business! Of course, you probably assumed it was, being completely self absorbed. And why would you care? You don't know me at all!"

However, her words seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever. He simply smiled triumphantly and gently released her elbow. Keely turned on her heel and stalked out of the parlor only to find her mother in the foyer, accompanied by a tall, light headed man with pale blue eyes. He was laughing at something her mother had just said and his laughter rang throughout the house. Upon her arrival, Keely's mother let go of the stranger's arm and waltzed over to where she stood. She whispered roughly, "Wipe that scowl off your face. It's not very becoming."

"Who is that, mother?" Keely whispered back, ignoring her mother's hateful comments.

"Stop talking and you'll find out, Keely."

Keely's mother turned back to face the strange man, her entire expression changed to one of charm and grace.

"Keely, I'd like to introduce you to Mr. Caleb Walker. He owns a plantation not terribly far from here, and was nice enough to escort me home when the rain started up. He's quite the gentleman."

A scoff was heard throughout the foyer. Keely's mother looked over her daughter's shoulder and found Phil leaning casually against the parlor door, arms folded over his chest. She rolled her eyes.

"Ah, Mr. Diffy. I see you're here…again."

Despite her rudeness, Phil answered back politely, "Yes, ma'm. The roof isn't fixed yet."

"I see. Well, in that case…"

"Diffy. Phil Diffy?" Mr. Walker asked.

"Yes, Phil Diffy," Mrs. Teslow replied forcefully. "Now, Mr. Walker I'd like to introduce you to my daughter Ke…"

"Phil Diffy. So you're back. Having fun with the _Yankees_ I hear. What about the slaves? Having fun with them, too?"

Keely couldn't believe what this _gentleman_ had said. She turned around to look at Phil. The expression on his face was one of pure hatred mixed in with a feeling of invasion on something personal…too personal to share with those in the foyer. She almost felt sorry for him.

Phil stepped forward and was about to say something in return, when Gran appeared suddenly on the stairs.

"Caleb Walker, what a pleasant surprise. It's been such a long time since I've seen you last. It's lovely to see you."

"And a pleasure to see you as well Mrs. Teslow." Mr. Walker replied pleasantly, all traces of his hostility gone. "I trust you're feeling well?"

"Oh yes, of course. But I do feel like a cup of tea, would you all care to join me?"

"You know, a hot cup of tea sounds perfect right about now. Mrs. Teslow…" Mr. Walker said, charmingly holding out his arm to Keely's mother. Keely began to follow her mother and Mr. Walker back to the parlor but stopped when she saw Phil begin to walk to the door. She watched as Gran called to him from her position on the stairs.

"Phil, aren't you going to join us for tea?"

Phil walked over to the staircase and took Gran's hand in his. A bright smile lit up his features and Keely couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene.

"No, I think I'll go and see how my roof is doing, but…but is it alright if I come back for supper? Please?"

Gran laughed and patted his hand. "Of course you can. Would you do me a favor and ask Tabitha to start on a pot of tea for us before you go?"

Phil bent down and kissed the older woman's cheek. His attitude was completely different from moments ago. "Sure I will! I know Tabitha's dying to see me anyway." As he turned to go to the kitchen, Phil caught Keely's eye and smirked arrogantly. "Oh, Tabitha!" he called out as he left the room.

Keely stared after him, amazed that he could still be the rudest person she had ever met just moments after being a perfect gentleman. It was quite irritating.

Keely was still watching Phil walk away when Gran came and took her by the elbow, steering her toward the parlor door. "Come Keely, I've had a splendid idea."

Okay the quote about the rain came from this website: http/en. and we don't want to be sued so we sited. Stay tuned. It keeps getting better and better.

Luv The Girls


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter 10

Mrs. Teslow replaced her teacup on the saucer in front of her. Then she picked up her napkin and dabbed politely at her lips. She was about to talk another sip, but before she could she heard a soft little "Ahem" from somewhere along the table. Mrs. Teslow glanced up and was met with three anxiously waiting faces.

She smiled. "We're having….. a party".

"Really Gran," Keely said happily, "a party….. What for?"

"Well, you've been here for a while, and I think it's high time you've been introduced to the people of Lexington," Gran answered.

Keely's mother cleared her throat loudly, up until now she had been completely silent. Gran turned to her and asked politely, "Well Amanda, what do you think of my idea?"

Keely glanced up from her plate and looked quickly at her mother. She'd never heard her grandmother call her mother by her first name before; in fact she'd never really heard Gran call her daughter-in-law anything really. She continued to watch as her mother looked at the elder woman and answered arrogantly. "I believe it's a splendid idea. Of course, I would love to help you. After all in New York I threw many a party, so I am quite capable of dealing with any arrangements."

If Gran was offended at all by Amanda Teslow's tone, she made no indication of it as she exclaimed. "Well then, it's settled," and began chatting excitedly with Keely's mother.

Seeing that the two women were otherwise occupied, Keely politely excused herself from the table and left the room. It wasn't the first time during her stay in Lexington that she had wandered off. As usual, she ended up in the favorite room in the house; the parlor with the piano. The room was bright and could make anyone feel cheerful on the darkest of days. Keely knew from the first moment she had seen this room that it would be one of her favorites in the old house. She loved the comfortable divans and armchairs that were scattered throughout the room, and she loved the fact that Gran had a wonderful book collection lined against the wall. But more than anything, she loved the old grand piano that rested next to the beautiful bookshelf. She walked over to it, glancing behind her, and carefully drew her hand over the wood paneled side. She sat down cautiously, and gently touched the keys, but did not play.

Ever since her father taught her to play when she was a little girl, she had loved the piano dearly. However, since his death over two years ago, she had refrained from playing. However, just seeing this beautiful piano, she longed to play a song, any song, just to be able to. Keely placed her hands over the keys and was about to begin, but couldn't find it in herself to start. Instead she hastily stood up, reached for the book lying on the table beside her, and began to thumb through the pages rapidly.

"A book for every place she visited," said a voice from the doorway.

Keely turned around and came face to face with Caleb Walker. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you, Miss Teslow, but I-

"Did you follow me," she interrupted, then realizing that was an extremely rude thing to say, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Your grandmother brought back a book from every place she visited, didn't you know that?"

"No, I did not, that's very interesting," Keely said rather rudely. Once again she realized how rude she was being, but she couldn't get over the fact that this man was extremely rude as well, talking about slaves and "Yankees" as if they were dirt. As she turned to leave, he stepped in front of her, blocking her way.

"Miss Teslow, I won't pretend like I don't know the reason why you are hesitant to talk to me. I know you heard every word I said to Philip Diffy, and I would like you to see that I realized that they were harsh and unnecessary."

Keely was about to walk past him but his confession sounded so heartfelt that she stopped and looked up at him. This was certainly a different side of Caleb Walker that she had not seen. Even through tea he had seemed arrogant and forceful, but now…. perhaps it was an act.

"Ah, Mr. Diffy," Keely answered, "he probably deserved what you said."

Caleb laughed loudly, "I see he hasn't made much of an impression on you either; he rarely does….. except on your grandmother, she seems to like him well enough."

Keely forced a laugh; he seemed to be back to his previous self. "Yes, she does like him," then for emphasis, " I can't understand why."

"Neither can I", Caleb answered, "I suppose it's one of life's mysteries. Shall we?" he said offering his arm.

Keely took his arm and together they exited the parlor. They did not notice Phil Diffy as he took his forgotten hat from the hat rack outside the parlor door. As he looked after them, anger flashed in his brown eyes. It was no secret that Caleb Walker despised him, and although he had expected that same from Miss Teslow, he hadn't known her dislike ran that deeply. It was almost hurtful…but no, Phil decided. Keely's opinion of him did not matter. In fact, she had only proven that she was exactly what he had suspected; a spoiled little rich girl, with no thought whatsoever of anyone but herself. "_She and Walker are perfect for each other"_, Phil thought bitterly as he twirled his hat in his hands one final time and stalked out of the front door.


	12. Chapter Eleven

Chapter 11

July 4, 1863

Phil stood outside Mrs. Teslow's front gate, amazed at the appearance of the old house.

Phil grinned, impressed. "Cleans up rather well."

For the Teslow house had magically transformed from his childhood playground to a beautiful and elegant mansion fit for an entire royal family. The entire house was lit, the light spilling out onto the brilliantly decorated front lawn. Elegantly dressed guests were milling across the porch and the house gradually became crowded, as well.

Phil took a shaky breath, stepped through the old gate, and proceeded up to the porch, choosing to ignore the curious stares of the people he had left a year ago.

As Phil made his way through the crowd, Keely was in her bedroom, pinning a final touch flower in her hair, when her mother barged through the door in her lace trimmed, black gown.

"Keely, you must hurry! Caleb is already downstairs waiting for you."

Keely did not miss the excitement in her mother's eyes; it was something she rarely saw. However, it did not make Keely's current frustration toward her mother fade.

Amanda Teslow had accepted Caleb Walker's invitation to the party on her daughter's behalf without bothering to ask Keely's opinion. In turn, it had annoyed Keely to the point that she once thought that spending the night in the company of Phillip Diffy would be better than Mr. Caleb Walker.

Phillip Diffy…his face lingered momentarily in her mind. She wondered if he would make an appearance tonight.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her mother's voice. "You know Keely, that blue is wonderful on you. I do think we'll make quite a pair tonight," she added as she came to stand behind her daughter in the mirror. Keely smiled politely at her mother in the mirror and turned around to face her.

"Thank you, Mother. I'm sure _Caleb_ will think so as well," Keely said, her voice sarcastic.

Her mother sighed. "That's the point dear", she answered coldly, turning on her heel and leaving the room. Keely could hear her harsh steps going down the stairs.

She sighed heavily. If only pleasing her mother wasn't so difficult! Keely turned away from her reflection and made her way down to the party, as well.

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The lively waltz ended, resulting in a soft round of applause. Keely stepped out of Caleb Walkers arms, thankful for the break. She had been dancing with him for the whole night, and although he was a fine dancer, she had grown tired of his constant arrogant bragging long ago. She politely thanked him for the dance, and hurriedly retreated outside for some fresh air. She failed to notice Phillip Diffy in conversation with some old acquaintances.

However, Phillip Diffy had not missed her sudden appearance. Even though he found her extremely self-centered and arrogant, he couldn't help but notice how attractive she looked tonight.

"Phil, what do you think?", asked one of his companions.

Phil turned back to the conversation. "What?"

"This war, Phil. You were there. You must have some sort of opinion."

"Excuse me," he answered, purposefully ignoring the question and walking away briskly, leaving his friends behind him.

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"So, finally got rid of Walker did you? What happened? Did you get bored?"

Keely whirled around to find none other than Phillip Diffy sauntering toward her. She rolled her eyes. Did he always have to be so insulting?

"For your information, Caleb Walker is not boring, and frankly, it's none of your business, Mr. Diffy,

_And now I'm defending Caleb Walker_, she thought sarcastically. _That's wonderful!_

Phil just looked at her…skeptically.

Keely was caught off guard. "Caleb Walker is …he is… well he…"

Phil's face lit up. He'd finally knocked her off of her high horse. He humorously folded his arms across his chest and nodded. "You don't really like him, do you, Miss Teslow?" he said with mock formality.

She didn't fail to notice how much it pleased him to see her at a loss. But it was the truth wasn't it? Still, she couldn't believe that he had said that to her face. She was still in utter disbelief when she heard the voice of none other than Caleb Walker.

"Keely, your mother is looking for you. Your grandmother is just about ready to present you to her guests. Is everything alright here?"

Keely turned toward him and gave him a brilliant smile. "Everything's fine Caleb. Thank you." And with that, Caleb offered his arm and led her into the house, leaving Phil with his newfound knowledge of Miss Teslow's dislike for Caleb Walker.

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"Attention, everybody, attention." Mrs. Teslow's voice rang throughout the crowded ball room, causing the noise to gradually subside. "I would like to present to all of you, my son's wife and daughter, Amanda and Keely Teslow."

A polite applause sounded throughout the room and several guests rushed toward Keely and her mother for introductions. Some time later, Keely found herself in the arms of Caleb Walker, waltzing across the dance floor, thoroughly exhausted with his continuous self-praise. The long night finally ended with beautiful fireworks announcing the conclusion to the party. As the guests departed, Keely caught a final glance of Phil Diffy as he approached the open door. Suddenly, he turned around, almost as if he was conscious of Keely's stare. Their eyes met briefly before he grinned coyly and walked through the front door.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

July 20, 1863

_REBEL AT GETTSYBURG_

_War has been raging all around us in its most horrid form. Two mighty armies have passed through the country and the bloodiest fight of the war has taken place. For some time past it has been evident that a great battle must come off but no one supposed that Gettysburg would be the place selected. General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia of 75,000 men and the 97,000 man Union Army of The Potomac under General George G. Meade met, by chance, when a Confederate brigade sent forward for supplies observed a forward column of Meade's cavalry. The loss killed and wounded on both sides has been fearful, the rebel loss being considerable, owing to the facts that on Thursday and Friday they fought against the advantages of naturally strong positions. The aggregate loss is estimated at 40,000. Both sides took prisoners, but from all the information we could get we got several thousand more then we lost. All in all, the battle of Gettysburg has been the grandest fight of the war. A dispatch from Washington to the New York Times says: It is understood that the call for troops under the enrollment set will be made immediately. Several districts and one or two of the Eastern states have already had their quotas assigned them, and the first call will be for three hundred thousand..._

Phil set down the newspaper. Word of the Battle at Gettysburg had just reached Georgia. Phil sighed in disgust. Just as they had been celebrating the 4th of July, thousands of men had been killed in Pennsylvania. With the news of Gettysburg weighing heavily on his heart, Phil was brought back to the horrors of his time in Shiloh. He had yet to tell of his involvement in the battle to anyone. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, this war was changing him and everything around him. He had become only a former version of himself after everyone and everything he had seen; and it was all because of the war. War had ended his adventure away from Lexington and had brought him back to a home that didn't completely belong to him anymore. _"And now," _he realized glancing to the article about the war quotas, "_it looks like this is long from over." _ Three-hundred thousand men to win a war that never should have started.

War had brought Keely Teslow into Lexington, and she had changed it. Now, because of her, he had to share the only person who had ever cared for him. He was talking about Mrs. Teslow, or Gran, as she was now being called. Phil sighed deeply. He knew he was being ridiculous and that Keely Teslow was not any of the things she ought to be.

He had taken to watching her. Not in a romantic way, but in an observant one. The more he watched her, the more he discovered that he was very wrong about her. She was completely the opposite of what he had first regarded her as. In the beginning, he had suspected that she was just as spoiled and nasty as her mother; he had even wanted her to be, just so he could hate her for "stealing" Mrs. Teslow away. But she wasn't. In fact, she was so different from her mother, that it was hard to believe that they were related. Keely was kind and loved her grandmother as much as he did. Of course, she did have her moments. Every time Phil walked into a room, she scowled and strutted out the door, nose and chin high in the air. She refused to look at him and when she did, the look she gave was fierce and unforgiving. He knew she thought he was arrogant and rude. He also knew that he deserved every bad thought that she had of him. He had been rude to her almost everyday since she had arrived in Lexington; no wonder she found Caleb Walker more appealing than him.

Phil suddenly smiled to himself. He also knew that Keely Teslow loved the piano, but would never play the one in Mrs. Teslow's library, where he now sat. He had seen her steal away to the library whenever she thought nobody; her mother in particular, was looking. She would stand in front of the piano for several minutes, slowly taking in its beauty. Then she would make her way to the bench while letting her hand brush against the side. She would then sit down, and touch the keys softly with her fingers, careful not to make a sound. She never played. Instead, she would sigh heavily, take one last look at the beautiful grand piano, and exit the library as quietly as she had entered. Sometimes, when she left she would brush away tears from her eyes. Phil often wondered why she kept going back if it upset her so much. Phil stood and walked over to the piano, admiring it just like she did. He lightly touched the keys and was about to sit down at the old bench when he heard footsteps coming down the hallway. He immediately changed directions and hurried back to the chair, banging his knee against the bench as he went. He bit his lip to stifle a cry of pain and limped back to his chair as quickly as he could. Phil brought his newspaper up to cover his face as well as his anguish, just as the footsteps reached the library door.

Phil lowered his paper to just above his nose and let his eyes meet Keely's. Her eyes grew wider with surprise and she hastily apologized, "Oh, I'm sorry Mr. Diffy. I didn't know you were in here." She spun around to leave.

"Wait!" Phil called behind her, surprising himself. She turned back to face him, her eyes confused with his outburst. Her eyes strayed quickly to the piano and then returned to Phil. "What is it Mr. Diffy? I have a lot of things that I should be doing."

"Like what? Have tea with Caleb?" he said without thinking. Keely rolled her eyes and turned to leave again. She was not in the mood for his insulting witticism.

"Wait! No, I didn't mean that."

Keely turned around forcefully. "What?" She was thoroughly confused with this strange behavior.

"Uh..." he cleared his throat. "Miss Teslow, may I ask you a question?"

Her eyes clouded over slightly as she slowly made her way over to the piano bench, across from where Phil was sitting, but she nodded anyway.

Phil leaned forward on his chair and rested his hands on his knees. "Why…why do you come in here if it makes you so sad?

He was making an effort to be nice to her, either that or he was just nosy, she thought to herself. She looked down to her hands clasped tightly in her lap, wondering what to say. She loved the piano, and she wanted nothing more than to play it once again. She'd refused to play after her father died; it was just too awful for her to play without him there. But she couldn't tell Phil Diffy that, it was far too personal. She didn't know what to say.

" I….. I used to play", she stammered lamely. "But then I stopped."

"Why", he pressed.

"Why do you care so much" she asked him

He paused for a moment, and said honestly, with no hint of wit or sarcasm, "Because no one should look as sad as you do when you come in here."

Keely looked up instantly. She couldn't believe that had just come out of Phil Diffy's mouth. He supposedly hated her and she…. hated….him. He didn't care about her or her past. He was just Phil Diffy arrogant and sarcastic…but she saw none of that in his eyes now. A small smile slowly made its way to her eyes. She nodded to Phil and left the room, looking once over her shoulder.

Phil watched her walk out the door and down the hallway. "_Perhaps she won't enjoy tea so much today" _he thought to himself as he raised his newspaper once more, this time to hide his smile.

Disclaimer: We haven't done a disclaimer in awhile so we don't own anything..blah blah blah. This chapter came from the mind of my associate. She's pretty snazzy at ideas. Also the newspaper article at the beginning is a combination of two authentic articles written about the Battle of Gettysburg. We credit them to the appropriate people. Uh…I think that's all. Don't forget to leave us some comments. We like those a lot.

Luv, The Girls


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

August 1863

Mrs. Teslow sat quietly in her old rocking chair on the back porch of her beautiful home. It was early evening and the air was beginning to cool off. It was going to be a lovely night. Keely and her mother had gone to tour Caleb Walker's plantation, and weren't expected back until nightfall. Mrs. Teslow was glad for the peace and quiet. Ever since the 4th of July party, she had been feeling a little off. Her coughing fits had become more and more violent, alarming everyone within the house. Still, she assured them that she was perfectly fine and that they should not worry.

"Sho' is nice out tonight." Tabitha said, setting her tray of lemonade down. She slowly eased into the second rocking chair. "Miss Keely should enjoy herself."

"Yes, she should." Mrs. Teslow said as she poured herself some lemonade. "Caleb Walker takes pride in that plantation of his. He'll make sure Keely is entertained."

Mrs. Teslow and Tabitha sat in silence for several minutes, neither feeling the need to talk, just enjoying each other's company. Out of the corner of her eye, Tabitha caught sight of a person hurriedly making his way to the back gate.

Tabitha turned to Mrs. Teslow. "Now where do you think that boy's headin' off to?" She stood up as quick as she could and called out. "Phillip Diffy! Where you off to in sich a hurry? You best be back afore it gets dark, or I'll take a rollin' pin to ya!"

Phil smiled and waved at Tabitha and Mrs. Teslow before continuing through the gate. Tabitha sat down next to Mrs. Teslow once more and poured herself a glass of lemonade. With a sigh, she said, "What do you reckon's out there for him?" Mrs. Teslow smiled mischievously.

"I have a pretty good idea, Tabitha."

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Through the back gate, past Mrs. Teslow's gardens, and away from everyone within the big house, lay a worn and beaten path. If one were following the path, they would come upon a fork; the left leading into the next town and the right, far less traveled, leading to a small footbridge over an equally small stream. Upon crossing the small footbridge, one would find themselves in a small patch of woods, quite unlike the rest of Lexington. After traveling down the path a little ways, there is a canopy of trees overhead, shadowing the sun. And finally, through the canopy of trees, one will reach a clearing of tall grass and a single tree on a single hill.

The tree is old with a wide base and several low reaching branches, just low enough for one to sit on. It's a very beautiful tree with bright leaves in the spring and summer; leaves that change in autumn and fall to the ground during winter. Even though the tree is located in seclusion, it still has its share of visitors. Most just happen to stumble upon it by mistake, but some, like Phil Diffy, come regularly to think, or at least he had a year ago. This was the first time he'd been back since he'd left home. He'd been surprised to find it exactly the way he'd left it, unlike so much of his life.

Phil shrugged out of his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and sat on the grass underneath the tree. It felt nice to be back at this place. He sighed deeply and put his head in his hands. What he'd seen at Shiloh still haunted his thoughts, and it was beginning to show. He'd seen Mrs. Teslow, more than once, cast a worried glance in his direction. Phil hated that she was so worried about him, but he just couldn't bring himself to talk about it. He was also worried about the news that quotas were being established all over the Union, as well as the Confederacy. It was only yesterday that he'd heard about a new quota set in Virginia, only a few states over. It wouldn't be long before the Confederacy would be setting up quotas in and around Georgia, and Phil desperately didn't want to go back. If the worse should happen and he was forced to, he certainly wouldn't be fighting for the Confederacy. His decision would cause a lot of trouble; a Southerner fighting for the Union, hopefully it wouldn't come to that. Phil sighed again. Life was becoming more and more complicated.

As Phil made his way home, it began to get dark and the fireflies appeared. This was his favorite time to be at the tree; when everything seemed to be as it should be, even when, in reality, it wasn't.

Phil walked through the back gate just as Keely and Caleb Walker arrived at Mrs. Teslow's house.

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"…and our ongoing rate is three bushels an hour. Of course, the slaves are taught to obey and know the consequences for bad behavior. I hope to increase our cotton output soon, though. Stricter working hours, harder punishments; that type of thing. In no time, my plantation will be the most successful plantation in the county…"

Keely sat beside Caleb Walker and refused to listen to another word he said. What he was doing to his slaves was barbaric. She had witnessed his harsh "consequences" as he called them. It was more like torture. All day working in the heat with no more than two or three small breaks. Of course, his plantation home had been beautiful, but Keely found it ugly simply because of the unfair conditions by which it was run. Her mother had enjoyed the tour immensely, much to Keely's despair. If her mother had liked it, Keely would be expected to like it as well. She could tell that this mere acquaintances with Caleb Walker was turning into an attempt to see her "happily" married. One thing was for sure. Keely wanted nothing to do with her mother's scheme, and she especially wanted nothing to do with Caleb Walker. She was very relieved when they finally reached Gran's house, and he helped her from the carriage. Keely hurriedly crossed through the front gate while Caleb was preoccupied with helping her mother out of the carriage. She couldn't stand another minute with Caleb and his precious plantation with his precious cotton run entirely on slave power. It was disgusting.

They reached the porch together and Keely's mother quickly excused herself, leaving Caleb and Keely alone on the front porch.

"I do hope you enjoyed your visit to my plantation", Caleb said taking a step closer to her, "and I hope I'll be seeing you again soon." His eyes were anxious for her response.

Keely, on the other hand, was dreading his next visit, but if she didn't give him the right answer, her mother would be furious.

"I…well…I suppose…" Keely began, turning around to reach the doorknob.

"Bye Mrs. Teslow, Tabitha! I'll be back tomorrow," shouted Phil Diffy over his shoulder, as he exited the very door Keely was trying to enter.

Suddenly, he ran into a barrier that wasn't usually there. The barrier yelped as he realized that he had run straight into Keely Teslow and she was falling. He quickly grabbed her by the elbows and pulled her close to prevent her from toppling over.

"Oh, hello" he said looking down awkwardly. He'd never had the privilege of looking at this close before, and he found he didn't mind; under the circumstances.

She seemed shocked and once she realized whose arms she was in, a slow blush crept upon her face. She glanced up quickly and saw his eyes for the first time. She was taken aback by how sad and deep they were. She vaguely heard Caleb in the background, and was quickly reminded that she was in public when he came behind and took her elbow.

"Keely are you alright" he asked, pulling her away from Phil.

"Really, Caleb I'm fine". Keely said as she wriggled free from Caleb's grasp and hurried inside.

Once she was out of earshot, Caleb turned to Phil and said, "You should watch where you're going, Diffy. People will expect you're up to no good. People talk. They've been saying you're loyal to the Union for a long time Phil. Couldn't have been what you were up to while you were gone now, could it? I'd be careful Diffy. The South don't like Yankee traitors." With a malicious grin, he turned and walked inside after Keely and her mother.

Phil glared angrily after Caleb Walker. "Better a Yankee traitor than a Rebel murderer", he muttered as he put on his hat and made his way to the old hotel.

A/N: here ya go. A big thanks to my associate for typing since I'm a bit under the weather. We've been researching the Civil War for a project and it's coming in handy for this story. Enjoy and stayed tuned! We'll be trying to post at least a month or else we'll have dissatisfied fans and the story will never get finished  . Right-o!

Luv The Girls


	15. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter 14

October 1863

Phil sat under his tree in the cool October morning watching as the sun came over the hill. As each day passed, more and more news about the war between the states reached Lexington. There had even been a few battles nearby, each one more fatal than the last. However, even as the world around him grew more and more out of control, during the rare times he spent alone, everything seemed in its place. The sun still rose as it had before the war broke out, and the tree which he sat under still changed colors every year, despite what was happening around him. It was comforting to know that.

Still, his thoughts often did get the best of him. He often wondered why he wasn't out there fighting with the rest of the young men. He was able enough; strong and in good health. But the things he had witnessed and experienced were still too vivid in his mind. He wasn't sure he could ever go back and face it all over again, unless he was called to.

Phil stood up and wrapped his coat tightly around himself. It was getting colder by the day. Pretty soon it would be winter, and the war showed no signs of letting up. Phil worried about the conditions both sides had to deal with. Word had surfaced that the Confederacy under Jefferson Davis didn't even have proper uniforms to wear and traveled around as mismatched miscreants. As if the act of war hadn't already killed enough men, now winter would be an imminent life taker. Phil looked up as sun beams began to shine on his face. He ought to be heading back to Mrs. Teslow's house. No doubt Tabitha would be up and about, making breakfast and he wasn't about to miss it.

Unbeknownst to Phil, Keely was also awake, watching as the sun rose over the hills from the balcony outside her room. It seemed like she could see everything from there; she couldn't tell where the sky ended and the world began. Catching a glimpse of movement, she turned only to see Phil Diffy crossing the foot bridge by the back gate. She watched him silently for a moment as the October wind suddenly picked up. Meeting her glance, he stopped abruptly and awkwardly held her gaze, sending a chill up Keely's spine. "Obviously from the wind," she reasoned with herself, immediately breaking eye contact with Phil and heading down to breakfast.

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With Phil already seated for breakfast, Gran could see from the minute Keely entered the room, the uncomfortable silence between the two. "Good morning, Gran," Keely said sweetly as she took her seat at the table. "Mr. Diffy" she added reluctantly, her eyes cast toward her plate. Mrs. Teslow felt awful that the two people who she cared for the most hadn't taken to each other. _"And it's high time somebody did something about it."_ she thought to herself_. "With this war, one of them could probably use a friend; why not each other?"_

"You know Keely," she started. "You haven't even seen half of what Lexington's got to offer. Why don't you let Phil show you around a bit?"

"Uh…Mrs. Teslow? I'm not sure that's the best ide…" Phil protested before being interrupted by Mrs. Teslow.

"Oh nonsense, Phil. The way you two stay cooped up in this house all day, you'd think you were a couple of hermits. Now you two go on and eat your breakfast, and I don't want to hear another word about it." she added ignoring the horrified look on Keely's face.

And Keely was indeed horrified. Ever since that awkward display at the front door, she had managed to steer clear of Phil and she intended to keep it that way. Now Gran was ruining her plan. She saw no way out of it and was completely prepared to sulk the entire day. However, as miserable as spending the day with Mr. Diffy was bound to be, Gran was right. She had no idea what surprises Lexington held, she hadn't even seen the entire plantation yet; and it would please her Grandmother so much, especially while she was feeling poorly. Keely hadn't failed to notice the paleness of her grandmother's skin or the severity of her coughing fits. Surely a nasty bout with a cold, no doubt. Even so, Keely was resigned not to show the slightest interest in what Phil Diffy had to say.

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"_It might not be so bad_," Phil thought, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "_It might improve her disposition some_". He hastily chanced a glance in her direction and upon seeing the scowl on her face, was determined to erase it. Growing up in Lexington definitely had its advantages. He probably knew more about the nooks and crannies of the town better than Mrs. Teslow did.

And then there was always the garden….

Just the very thought of entering the garden again warmed Phil's heart. He hadn't been in it since his return to Lexington, and this was the perfect opportunity. After breakfast, he practically ran to the parlor to retrieve it.

Now, this key wasn't a typical garden door key. Instead of being big and bulky, this key was small and delicate. "_Plus_," Phil thought with a laugh, "_This is the key to my heart_."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"_Well at least one us is in a good mood_," Keely thought bitterly as she and a seemingly ecstatic Phil Diffy made their way to a garden that she had no idea existed on the Teslow property.

"So," Phil began cheerfully, "You've been here how many months now?"

"Five," she answered hotly.

"You've been here five months and you had no idea there was a garden?! My, you certainly don't get out much do you?" Keely scowled. Even when he was cheerful, he was insulting. It wasn't her fault. She would have loved to get out every now and then. It was her mother who seemed so dead set against her ever setting foot outside the plantation, except of course, to visit Caleb Walker. The very thought made Keely roll her eyes. She had a suspicious feeling her seclusion was another attempt by her mother to see her "happily married."

Leave it to her mother to make a recluse out of her only daughter for the sake of marriage. It was nice to be outside though. Despite the less than pleasurable company, the journey to the garden was turning out to be very pleasant. She'd never actually been in this part of the plantation. She was surrounded by numerous trees, all of which had turned colors. As she walked, she could hear them crunching under her feet, filling the slightly awkward silence drifting between Phil and herself. Unwilling to walk anywhere near him, she watched as Phil wound his way through the trees in front of her, an obvious destination in mind. Finally, he stopped in front of an ivy covered wall, put his ear against the ivy, and began knocking. Keely squinted at him from where she was standing. "_What is he doing_", she thought to herself as she hitched up her skirt and hurried toward Phil. As she approached, a smirk formed on his face. He stood up abruptly and put his hands on his hips, a look of triumph etched on his face.

"Well, here we are."

Keely looked up at Phil skeptically.

"Ah yes, and where is here exactly, Mr. Diffy? All I see is an accumulation of weeds."

Phil looked down into Keely's face and grinned. "That's because you're not looking hard enough, Miss Teslow." And as if by magic, a small key appeared in his hand out of thin air. Keely's mouth dropped in amazement. "How did you do that?"

"Do what," Phil said, winking playfully at her. He smiled for a moment, and then turned back toward the mass of ivy, pulling it aside and revealing a hidden door. Keely watched as Phil turned the key gently and opened the heavy door, revealing the garden inside.

"Follow me," he said excitedly, and walked through the door.

Keely remained firmly rooted in her spot, arms folded across her chest. Any place that he was so enthusiastic about couldn't possibly hold her interest, even if it was a beautiful garden.

However, her curiosity got the better of her and she bent down to look inside, only to be met with Phil Diffy's face from around the door. Startled, she jumped back and tried to smooth her skirt to hide her embarrassment. "_Why does he always do that_", she wondered to herself, a scowl on her face.

"Are you coming or not", Phil asked, an exasperated look on his face. He seemed annoyed and Keely felt like he was accusing her of wasting his time. Reluctantly, she sighed heavily, and walked through the garden door.

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As soon as she walked in the door, Keely knew this garden would be an escape. Although the garden wasn't in full bloom and the leaves had fallen from the trees, it was spectacular. Upon entering a canopy of trees hid the sky, and a small pathway emerged through the scattering of leaves on the ground. As they continued down the path, Keely could see in the distance a small pond with an elegant gazebo. Keely twirled around to take in all of the garden's beauty, and there, standing in the corner of the garden, stood an old weeping willow with a swing gently blowing in the wind. She felt like she was the only person in the entire world.

But she wasn't. Phil Diffy remained remarkably still as he watched Keely take in his garden. He knew she would appreciate it as much as he did. He watched as she silently walked toward the pond and bent down to dip her fingers in the cold water, effortlessly maneuvering a fallen leaf along its surface. After a while, she stood up again and climbed the steps to the gazebo, her hand gently trailing along the railing. Phil leaned against the garden door, folding his arms across his chest, a warm smile on his face and a look of understanding etched in his eyes. He continued to watch her move from one spot to another, taking pleasure in the fact that she was enjoying herself. For the first time since she'd been in Lexington, her eyes were bright and a small smile tugged at her lips. It seemed to Phil like all of her reservations had disappeared when she stepped into his garden. Gone were the lifeless eyes that reflected pain whenever he looked over at her. She looked… content, something that he found to be quite rare with her.

Phil looked up and saw Keely standing next to the swing. She slowly ran her fingers over the worn seat and gently pushed it, watching as it swung away from her. Phil stood up again and walked a few steps, his hands in his pockets. The wind began to pick up, swirling the leaves by his feet. He began to make his way towards Keely, who was still watching the swing move back and forth, loose strands of hair billowing around her face.

"Do you like it", Phil asked, her back still toward him.

Quickly, she spun around to face him, startled at his voice. Immediately, her eyes turned dull again and her smile disappeared. As quickly as it had faded, the wall had been put up again.

"I…it's…its quite beautiful, Mr. Diffy." Her voice seemed strained and hollow. She stared at him for a moment, then turned and headed towards the gazebo. Unwilling to be ignored, he followed, running ahead of her up the steps of the gazebo, and blocking the entrance.

"Why did you bring me here, Mr. Diffy," Keely asked from the bottom step.

Phil shrugged his shoulders. "Well, Mrs. Teslow asked me to show you around. This is the first place I thought of."

Keely nodded. However, she knew that wasn't the entire truth. He was hiding something. Behind his joyful and carefree exterior, he was keeping something secret. Despite his best attempt at keeping it hidden, she could see it.

"And why, exactly, was this garden the first place you thought of? Why is it so important?"

A spark of emotion passed across his face before he straightened his posture and descended down the steps. He stopped abruptly in front of Keely, and whipped out the key, a smirk on his face.

"Well, you see Miss Teslow, I found the key."


	16. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter 15

"…now for an eight year old boy, a little old garden key isn't the most spectacular treasure in the world, but nevertheless, I pulled it out of the dirt and have kept it every since." Phil looked down at his feet and smiled. "Once, I even told Mrs. Teslow that this key was the key to my heart, and she better not lose it. I even threatened to die if she did." Phil turned toward Keely as they continued along the road into town. A look of amusement registered on her face, though it did not reach her eyes.

"So, Mr. Diffy, you seem to know my grandmother fairly well. How is it that you came to dig around for keys and frolic in her gardens? Where were you're par…"

"Ah look, the candy store! I'll bet you're mother never took you in here," Phil said, racing up the steps into the old candy shop.

"Hmph, how very rude," Keely sighed exasperatedly, her hands firmly placed on her hips. She rolled her eyes before marching quite loudly up the steps and entering the store.

Candy lined all the walls of the store. There were even barrels full of different sweets scattered throughout the area. At the back of the store stood a large wooden counter, and the old man who tended it tipped his hat at her as she entered. She nodded at him and began to look around, stunned at the multitude of candy. Her mother would be absolutely furious if she found her in there. However, Mr. Diffy was nowhere in sight. It seemed to her that she would be experiencing candy all by herself. Keely smirked to herself and ran her fingers along the different rows of candy, vaguely hearing the bell ring, indicating the entrance of another customer. It wasn't until she was bumped into rather forcefully that she noticed the presence of another woman about her age in the store.

"Oh, well excuse me, Sugar. I just simply didn't see you there." drawled the young woman in a thick Southern accent, before sauntering to the counter.

"Quite alright", Keely muttered under her breath as she continued to run her hand over the different varieties of candy. Suddenly, as she neared the end of the row, a hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a hidden corner of the shop. Keely tried to scream but a strong hand clamped over her mouth, preventing her from uttering a sound. Keely's eyes dashed back and forth trying to see who the assailant was, when a voice whispered in her ear.

"Shhh, Shhh, it's just me!"

Keely firmly yanked Phil's hand from her mouth and flew around to face him.

"Mr. Diffy, just what do you think you are doing?" Keely yelled and briskly began to walk away.

Phil grabbed her hand again, pulling her back, his eyes in a panic. "Shhh, be quiet. We have to get out of here!"

"WHY!" Keely yelled again, trying to free herself from Phil's grasp.

"SHHH!! Turn around, just look at the candy."

"Why, what's the matter?" Keely asked, craning her neck to find the problem.

"No, keep your head down. We don't want her to see us. Keep your back to the counter, no sudden movements. We'll try and get out as inconspicuously as possible. "

"Why, what's wrong with her?" Keely barked.

"Well…it's a long story, but she's got the most awful lau…"

"AAAAHHHH HHAAA HHAAA!"

"Oh no." Phil's faced immediately fell as he sighed heavily.

"Take my arm, Miss Teslow."

"What? No, I don't see how that will help!"

"Just take it!"

"No, I don't want to."

Phil abruptly turned and looked Keely straight in the eyes. "Please take my arm."

Keely was surprised by the pleading quality his eyes held. "Fine" She sighed heavily and looped her arm through Phil's. Together they turned around to face whoever…or whatever it was that could make noises like that.

"Why if it isn't Mr. Phil Diffy! I heard you'd come back home, but I didn't believe it. I knew you'd surely come visit me right off if you had." She wore an enormous pout on her face that put a damper on her pretty features. _She looks rather like a toad with that awful pout_, thought Keely to herself, a sneer rising on her face.

"Er…Miss Whitcomb. How nice to see you again. I…"

"Oh, just called me Maggie" she said, batting her eyelashes; making Keely raise an eyebrow. Once her eyes calmed down, she let out an enormous giggle. "You did used to call me that, remember Phil?" Maggie Whitcomb suddenly turned toward Keely and ran her over with

her eyes. "And who is this? I don't believe we've met before."

"Um…This is my…er…my…companion, Miss Keely Teslow. Miss Teslow, this is Miss Maggie Whitcomb."

"Pleasure, to meet you **_Miss_** Teslow. And…er…how long do you plan on visiting Lexington, **_Miss_** Teslow?"

Keely's eyes narrowed. She hadn't failed to miss what this Whitcomb woman had been insinuating. _I'll bet she can't wait to get rid of me, _Keely thought to herself, gripping Phil's arm tighterand mustering up the sweetest voice she could manage, said,

"Oh, I'm not visiting Miss Whitcomb. I just moved in with my Grandmother. We came from New York. You know, it's very pleasant this time of year, but I find the Georgia fall to be even more beautiful. I'm looking forward to witnessing so many more."

Maggie Whitcomb's eyes fixated themselves on Phil and Keely's conjoined arms. "Oh…well how charming. Well, I really can't waste anymore time. Lots of errands and things to do."

And with that, Miss Whitcomb darted right through Phil and Keely, breaking apart their linked arms.

Phil looked down to see a very satisfied Keely Teslow watching the retreating back of Maggie Whitcomb.

"Well she certainly didn't like that." Keely said, grabbing her candy and heading for the candy counter.

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"….and there's the Post Office over there, that's where we get our letters"

"I know what a Post Office is, Mr. Diffy."

"…and over there is the railroad station. It's always crowded because of the war and all. Soldiers coming and going, families saying goodbye…"

Keely turned her head to glace at the railroad station. Phil was right. Confederate Soldiers in gray lined the sides of the station. Keely watched as one gentleman bent down to cradle his little girl in his arms, before standing up and embracing a woman who could only be his wife. Then the man turned toward a young boy and rumpled his hair, before saluting him. The young boy saluted back to his father and flung his small arms around his waist.

"Miss Teslow, I think it's best if we moved on now" Phil said, taking her elbow and turning her in the direction of home. Keely turned her head back around to see if the family was still there, but was met with glaring eyes of the Confederate soldiers instead. Keely turned back to the front and looked up at Phil

"Mr. Diffy, why were those men…"

"…and over here we have the Doctor's office. He doesn't seem to be in right now…Ah, and here is the old hotel, where I am currently residing…"

"Hmph, you wouldn't be able to tell with the amount of time you spend at Gran's," Keely muttered under her breath.

"I heard that Miss Teslow…and here is your beloved Gran's house where….oh no!" Phil stopped his narrative and came to an immediate halt.

"What? What happened? Oh no, Gran!" Keely flung open the iron gate and raced to the house, yanking the door open and running inside.

Phil remained frozen in his spot outside the gate. Parked not three feet from where he was standing was the doctor's buggy. Phil closed his eyes and tilted his head back, trying to calm himself down. "Well, I guess we found the Doctor." he said, before racing inside the Teslow house after Keely.

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A/N: Well here you are, the longest chapter (and the best we think) that we've ever written. Thanks to my associate for stenographing the whole thing and for Cham the action director…for directing the action. We hope you like Maggie Whitcomb and keep reviewing, we like those. Stay tuned

Luv, The Girls and Cham the Action Director


	17. Chapter Sixteen

Recap_: Phil remained frozen in his spot outside the gate. Parked not three feet from where he was standing was the doctor's buggy. Phil closed his eyes and tilted his head back, trying to calm himself down. "Well, I guess we found the Doctor." he said, before racing inside the Teslow house after Keely._

Chapter Sixteen

When Phil finally caught up to Keely, he found her at the foot of the grand staircase, eyes transfixed upon the doctor as he descended the stairs. Phil reached gently for Keely's elbow to lead her into a different room, but she quickly shook him away and bounded up the stairs, asking several question along the way.

"What happened? Is she okay? Can I go in to see her? What can I do?"

"Patience Miss Teslow. She is resting now, but you may go in and sit with her for awhile."

With a look of relief, Keely nodded at the doctor and ran up the remaining steps. As the door to Mrs. Teslow's room sounded shut, the doctor shook his head and descended to the bottom of the staircase. Though the explanation seemed to ease Keely, it did nothing to reassure Phil. He could tell that the Doc knew more than he was letting on. This hadn't been the first time he suspected something was wrong with Mrs. Teslow. He vividly remembered her altered appearance when he had first returned to Lexington, and he was determined to find the underlying cause of it.

"Hello, Phil," the doctor sighed heavily. He pulled a clean handkerchief out of his pocket and gently wiped his face.

"What happened, Doc?" Phil asked, emotion filling his question. He distractedly removed his hat and began twirling it between his hands.

Recognizing the nervous habit, Doc took hold of Phil's hat and hung in on the hat rack nearby."I understand that you're worried Phil, but you don't have anything to worry about. She's suffering from a bad cold, but she'll be fine in no time at all, you'll see."

Phil shook his head, exasperation distorting his features. "You didn't answer my question, Doc." Phil looked straight into the doctor's old eyes. "What happened?"

Doc looked uneasily at Mrs. Teslow's closed door at the top of the stairs and then turned back to Phil.

"Follow me, Phil," he said, leading the younger man into the parlor room with the piano. "Sit down, please," he continued as he shut the door behind him, but Phil refused to sit, deciding instead to pace the room.

The doctor sighed once again. "She obviously has a bad cough, Phil. It's just that this time, she couldn't stop. Phil…she couldn't breathe. That's all I can tell you." With that said he stood up, patted Phil on the back and quietly exited the room. Phil heard the front door open gently and then close, signaling the doctor's absence. Falling heavily onto the divan, Phil rested his head in his hands, gently massaging his temples. He knew that Doc had not told him the whole truth. It was written all over his face and especially in his eyes. Something was terribly wrong with Mrs. Teslow. Upon this realization, Phil's breathing became quicker and tears sprang to the corner of his eyes. He couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to Mrs. Teslow, especially when he needed her so much.

Suddenly, two sharp knocks sounded on the parlor door. Phil's head snapped up from its resting place in his hands and he struggled to regain his composure. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he rose quickly, crossed the distance to the door and opened it slowly, surprised to see the face staring back at him from the other side.

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Something was wrong. She knew it the minute he opened the door. His face, though still handsome, was pale and drawn. His eyes were red in the corners and seemed to be glossed over.

"Mr. Diffy…what's the matter?" she asked hesitantly.

"What? Oh, its nothing." He sighed. "She's going to be fine, Miss Teslow."

"I know that…but you looked…"

Phil averted his eyes from hers. "Is she awake?"

Keely nodded as Phil tried to maneuver his way up the stairs. Before he could make it to the first step, Keely tenderly took his hand, causing him to turn around in surprise. Once he was facing her again, she took his other hand and laced it with hers, pulling him toward her. Phil stared at the place where their hands conjoined with shock before returning his gaze to search her face. Keely stared back into his eyes, her gaze gentle, yet reassuring. "She's going to be fine, Phi..." she cast her eyes down to where their hands met and immediately dropped them before glancing back up to Phil's stunned face. "Mr. Diffy," she finished and began the ascent to Mrs. Teslow's bedroom, leaving Phil alone on the stairs. Phil watched her climb before looking around the empty room, half expecting somebody to have witnessed what had just happened. Phil shook his head distractedly, still aware of the feeling of Keely's hand in his before bounding upward, taking the stairs two at a time.

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November 1863

"Alright now…"

"Watch the steps Mrs. Teslow…"

"Easy does it…slow an' steady wins the race…"

"See Gran, this is working out nicely. Now just give me your arm and we'll…."

"ALRIGHT! ALL OF YOU, DOWN THE STAIRS! NOW!" Mrs. Teslow commanded. Then, just to prove her point, she brandished her newly furnished cane, causing Phil, who was trying to obey orders, to come crashing down the stairs, landing flat on his back beside Tabitha, Keely, and Amanda Teslow. The three looked on, shocked, before Tabitha let out a hearty chuckle, followed by Keely's musical laughter and Amanda Teslow's grim smile.

Phil, too, joined in the laughter from his spot on the floor. "You tripped me," he said innocently.

"Well, you deserved it Phillip," Mrs. Teslow replied good-naturedly. "Now listen, all of you. I am a grown woman, and I do not need to be bossed about. I have a simple cold, nothing more, nothing less, and I would appreciate it if you all would treat me as such. Does everyone understand?"

A knocking on the front door interrupted any attempted answer.

"I'll get it," Phil volunteered, as Tabitha picked him up off the floor and set him upright. He chanced a glance in Keely's direction. She was still laughing to herself as she headed toward the dining room for breakfast and Phil admired how the merriment brought out her beautiful features.

Phil smiled to himself as he reached for the doorknob but the smile was immediately erased when he saw Caleb Walker inside the doorframe.

"What do _you_ want?" Phil asked lividly.

"Good morning to you too, Diffy." Caleb replied under his breath before strutting into the grand foyer.

Phil rolled his eyes as he shut the door. He turned around to find Caleb meandering about the hall, obviously looking for someone.

"Someone in particular you came to bother, Walker?" Phil asked hostilely. _Probably Keely…Keely…Miss Teslow. _Phil looked at his feet briefly before returning his gaze to Caleb. "What do you want Walker?" he repeated.

Caleb turned around slowly and sauntered toward Phil. "Well it just so happens that I didn't come here to answer your stupid questions, Phil. I came to see Miss Teslow."

Phil scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. "Which one?"

Caleb's eyes clouded over as he opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by the sound of laughter ringing in from the dining room.

Upon hearing the laughter, Caleb's eyes lit up and I triumphant smile graced his face. Turning back to Phil, Caleb brought himself up to his full height, straightened his jacket and tie, and plastered a sickly sweet smile on his face.

"Well, thanks for showing me in Mr. Diffy." he said loudly, intending for the ladies to hear him. Then, he bowed mockingly and tipped his hat at Phil before muttering under his breath.

"Good try Diffy, but it'll take more than your wit and puny attempts to keep me from seeing her." Caleb rose from his bow and made his way into the kitchen, a look of elegance and manner painted falsely on his face.

Phil was taken aback by Caleb's last comment. He hadn't meant to keep Caleb away from Keely at all, just everyone in general. He knew that Caleb had come to see Keely from the moment he walked in the door, but that didn't mean that he was intentionally trying to keep Caleb away from her, did it?

"No, it doesn't!" Phil said to himself before following Caleb's path into the kitchen.

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"…and my father's an old family friend of General McKeon. Now, General McKeon sent word that he's stationed about 10 miles outside of town and invited my father to see the camp. The word is there's going to be fighting any day now. Nothing too dramatic, perhaps just a skirmish here and there. My father's putting together a small group to go and watch and I was wondering if you'd care to accompany me?"

Keely, Caleb, and Amanda Teslow sat around the lovely dining room table, waiting as Tabitha and a very stubborn Gran prepared breakfast for them all. However, the pleasant atmosphere around Keely had soured immediately when she heard Caleb's voiced echoing through the foyer.

Keely looked doubtfully into Caleb's eager face. She didn't see how an act of war, no matter how minor, could be entertaining.

"But…won't it be dangerous Caleb?"

"Nonsense Keely! Do you think Mr. Walker would have asked you had it not been perfectly safe? If you ask me, it sounds positively thrilling!" Keely's mother scolded.

_Well then maybe you should go, Mother, _Keely thought to herself. Keely shook her head. "It's very kind of you to offer, Caleb, but I don't think I…"

She was interrupted as Caleb nodded his head and gently took her hand in his. "I understand your reservations Keely, but your mother's right. I would never lead you into a harmful situation. And besides, wouldn't you like to see a real battle first hand instead of hearing about it from a newspaper?"

Keely couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was he aware of what truly happened during a battle? People lost their lives, and he wanted to take her to witness it.

She looked around the once pleasant dining room, trying to find some form of escape, but all she was met with was the eagerness in Caleb's eyes and the prodding scold of her mother's face. She knew she had no choice but to accept Caleb invitation. _Unless…_Keely chanced a look toward the doorway of the dining room and was met with the dark eyes of Phil Diffy. She'd had a hunch that he would be standing there, unknowingly offering a way out of her predicament. She saw the look of horror and disgust at Caleb's suggested outing etched in his face, and knew that he felt the same way that she did. Phil held her gaze, silently challenging her to say no; to disobey. Startled at his silent request, Keely averted her eyes, breaking their unexpected connection. She couldn't ally with Phil, not now or ever. She didn't know him or trust him, and he was keeping secrets from everyone. She could tell, even when he put up a barrier to hide how he was truly feeling.

Regretfully, Keely returned her gaze to Caleb and smiled as brightly as she could, despite her instinct to refuse his request and run out of the room. Ignoring the feeling of Phil's eyes watching her every move, Keely slowly nodded her head. "How silly of me! Of course I'll go with you, Caleb."

"Excellent. It's all settled then. I'll call for you again at noon." Caleb said, taking Keely's hand and bringing it to his lips, before retreating out of the room. Keely watched him go, then remembering Phil's previous presence, searched frantically for his daring eyes. It was too late. He was gone.

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He had seen it. The panic in her eyes. So he had dared her, an open dare to defy what was expected of her and do what was right. He knew that she didn't want to go with Caleb and yet… she had accepted anyway. She had gone with that rat Walker into the middle of a battle. _She has no idea what she's in for_, Phil thought to himself as he paced the length of his hotel flat.

Phil didn't want Keely…Miss Teslow to see what he had seen. No person, especially a woman, should be subject to see the horror of the battlefield. It was extremely dangerous and… he was worried for her. Phil threw himself on the rickety bed and pulled a dingy pillow over his face.

_Best to let her learn her own lessons…and besides, she has Caleb Walker to protect her_, Phil thought bitterly to himself.

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Keely stared at her reflection in her dresser mirror as she furiously brushed out her hair. Never before had she felt as horrified at her actions as she did now. She had guessed what would happen at the battle site, but her assumptions did nothing to prepare her for the actual event. Her thoughts drifted back to the horrific day she'd had.

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Even as Keely had stepped aboard Caleb's extravagant carriage that morning, she had been uneasy. The conversation on the ride over to the battlefield had been one-sided, with Caleb consistently boasting of his connection to General McKeon and how fortunate they were to be able to watch the advancement of the war first hand. However, Keely didn't feel fortunate and refused to hide the look of disgust that marred her face. She had hoped beyond hope that Caleb's father had been mistaken and there would be no battle, but her hopes had been dashed when they arrived at the field to the sounds of gunshot and combat. Immediately hopping down from the wagon, Keely was bombarded with the sights of war. Looking down from their safe position in the wagon train, Keely could see the battle commencing in a small valley between two sloping hills. As she raised her hand to her shocked mouth, she vaguely heard Caleb exclaim, "It's starting, Keely!" There was no mistaking the excitement in his voice. Keely turned to Caleb, only to find him hanging out of the side of the wagon, arms raised and yelling along with the rest of the men of the wagon train. In one swift movement, he whipped his hat off and waved it in the air with a great whoop. "Here we go boys!" he yelled to his friends in the other wagons, all trace of manner and elegance disappeared as his friends returned the excited gesture. Joining Keely on the ground, Caleb roughly took her elbow and led her to the edge of an old fence, hardly enough protection from a stray bullet.

"Let's get closer, Keely", Caleb said, his eyes manic. Hopping over the fence, Caleb faced the battlefield and gave another loud yell. Turning back to Keely, Caleb offered his arms to help her over the rickety fence. Keely's eyes grew big with panic, and she backed away, shaking her head profusely. "No! Absolutely not!" Keely shouted angrily, appalled that he would even suggest getting closer to an actual battle. Caleb straightened his posture, eyes dancing with anger. Somewhere in the background, Keely heard a soldier cry "Retreat, Retreat", but her eyes were focused on Caleb, his rage apparent in every step he took towards her. Keely, inspired by the soldiers' fallback, continued to back away from Caleb, fear gripping her. Her entire body began to shake uncontrollably as the battle raged around her. The sounds of gunshots, cannon-fire, screaming, and the misplaced laughter of the ignorant bystanders encircled her until she felt like she would scream herself. Keely squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out her surroundings and imagine herself back at Gran's, laughing as Phil tumbled down the stairs. Somewhere in front of her, she heard Caleb's voice urgently shouting, "Get back, get back, Keely!" Her eyes flew open to see Caleb Walker planted firmly in front of her. "Come on, we have to go!" he yelled, grabbing her by the arms. Keely looked into his eyes questionably, unaware of what was happening. Her eyes darted back and forth before they landed on the scenery directly behind him. She saw men dressed all in gray running toward the very place they stood. Her eyes grew wider as the stampede drew closer and closer. Unable to move, Keely watched as time slowed down and the Confederate army neared their safe haven. Her eyes flitted from one scared face to another before connecting with the eyes of a soldier about her age. He was scared out of his mind and running for his life. Just as he looked up and returned her gaze, a whizzing sound filled the air and a cannonball came crashing down around the retreating army. The last thing Keely saw of the soldier boy was his widening eyes before he fell to the cold ground. Keely screamed as she watched the destruction around her. She wasn't even aware of Caleb dragging her away from the clash or their frenzied escape from the battlefield. All she could see were the frightened eyes of the soldier boy, and now he was dead.

But the thing Keely remembered the most was the triumphant look in Caleb Walker's face once they had reached Mrs. Teslow's gate. "Whew, that was a close one" he sighed, obviously relieved they had escaped. He grinned boyishly at Keely. "So, did you enjoy yourself?" Keely whipped her head up in disbelief before giving Caleb a stone cold glare and hopping down from the wagon without another word. Stalking through the door and up the beautiful staircase, Keely didn't even try to stop her tears from flowing.

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YAY!!

luv The Girls

p.s- we are currently finding music to fit the scenes- should be really fascinating once its all written. don't forget to review…we like it when u review


	18. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

The dust swirled around Phil's feet as he headed back to Mrs. Teslow's house for dinner. After an hour of trying to cast Keely Teslow from his thoughts, Phil had thrown aside the pillow and proceeded to pace his thoughts away. Stalking back and forth, from one corner of his dismal hotel room to the other, Phil couldn't shake the uneasiness her departure had caused. Phil pushed aside the graying curtain and gazed out toward the Teslow plantation. _Still not there_, he thought anxiously to himself. Phil resumed his concerned pacing. A sudden tightness filled his chest as he pictured her face upon seeing the death and destruction wrought by war. Phil knew all too well the images that would haunt her, perhaps for the rest of her life. Phil distractedly found himself holding vigil at the discolored window of his room.

"What am I doing?" he muttered to himself. Despite his reputation as a chronic worrier and general lack of reason where vulnerability was concerned, Phil still couldn't understand why the predicament Keely Teslow got _herself_ involved in was causing him so much strife. She didn't even like him; didn't even remotely think of him as a friend, let alone an ally, but….she had sought his presence earlier that morning, hadn't she? Perhaps as an escape, a way out? Then why hadn't she taken it?

Phil removed himself from the window and flopped back on his bed. Keely Teslow was undeniably the most confusing woman he had ever met. Turning on his side, Phil rummaged through his discarded jacket pocket until he found his pocket watch. Phil flipped open the cap and read the time. Lying back down, Phil closed his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest. He wouldn't go back over to Mrs. Teslow's house until she had gotten back safely. Phil smiled gently to himself. He didn't want to seem needy.

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But that had been over an hour ago. Drawing closer to his destination, Phil heard rather than saw the oncoming horses that could only belong to Caleb Walker's carriage. Breathing an unexpected sigh of relief, Phil quickened his pace and came upon the sight of Keely nearly sprinting into the old house.

Phil was about to follow her inside when a sneering and domineering voice interrupted his intended action. He whirled around to find Caleb atop his carriage, a glare etched into his features. Leaning down, Caleb sneered, "See you at dinner, Diffy. I do believe I'm invited".

Phil bit back a retort and darted away from the speeding carriage. There were more important things.

As he entered the house, he met Mrs. Teslow's concerned eyes before gazing up to the room where Keely had undoubtedly fled to.

A million words passed between the two who stood together at the bottom of the grand staircase. Mrs. Teslow patted Phil tenderly on the arm before slowly turning and ascending to comfort her granddaughter. Phil watched as the old woman grasped firmly to her cane, her pace slow yet determined. When she had finally reached her destination, Phil began his own secret climb up to Keely's bedroom.

Peering through the door that miraculously remained slightly ajar, Phil watched as Keely sat furiously, tearing a brush through her blonde hair, her eyes lost deep in thought, probably a gruesome remembrance of that very afternoon. She didn't seem to notice as her grandmother came into her room and stood behind her. Phil silently observed as Mrs. Teslow gently placed her hand on Keely's shoulder.

Keely lifted her eyes to meet her grandmother's in the old mirror, her brush still and quiet. Slowly, so slow that Phil barely saw them, tears filled Keely's eyes and ran down her cheeks.

Slowly adverting his eyes, Phil began his descent to the kitchen, unnerved by Keely's emotion. Phil had seen Keely strong and independent, stoic and unwilling to open up to him, but he had never seen her cry. Witnessing her emotion had added a dimension to her that he hadn't expected to find. Nor did he expect the rush of compassion that overtook all the negative feelings and ideas he had associated with Keely Teslow. The thought was so overwhelming that Phil sought the stability of the banister to steady himself. Taking a deep breath, Phil continued into the kitchen, lost in his thoughts of the young woman upstairs.

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"Jest set that right there, Phil." Tabitha gestured to a vacant spot on the cluttered table. Phil set down the steaming platter of food Tabitha had prepared for them, and distractedly wiped his hands on the apron Tabitha insisted he wear. "No sense soilin' up your clothes, Phil," he distinctly remembered her saying. Phil grimaced as he caught hold of the lacy edge of the effeminate apron. The sound of Tabitha's laughter sent him spinning around to face her.

"Now, what's that face for, Phillip. Ya look as if Miss Keely's momma done stoled your bag of candy."

Phil grinned sheepishly, but didn't say anything. Phil silently removed his apron and walked the short distance to replace it on its peg. He couldn't shake Keely's ordeal from his mind. He could imagine exactly what she had seen and heard because he had seen and heard it too. And with those thoughts, a familiar wave of dread and memories engulfed him. It wasn't just Shiloh and the naivety of death he had faced there. It was the hard truths he'd learned as a soldier; the bitterness in watching life drain away into the bloodied grass. Since he'd been back to Lexington, it had rarely happened, but every now and again the memories surfaced and with them came the helplessness he could hardly stand. Phil's breath caught in his throat.

"What's on your mind, Phil?"

Phil took in a deep breath and let his head fall to his chest, not daring to turn around. He couldn't tell her. Mustering up his strength and hiding his inner turmoil, Phil turned and looked at Tabitha. "Too much", he replied heavily before the ringing or the doorbell sent him back to the task at hand.

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Phil, Caleb Walker, and Amanda Teslow sat silently around the table, tension permeating the atmosphere.

"Well now," Tabitha's voice boomed in from the kitchen. "Ya'll just help yerselves. Best not to let it get cold."

Phil smiled graciously and reached out toward the delicious looking meal Tabitha had prepared for them. Caleb rolled his eyes in Phil's direction and retorted, "I'd much rather wait for Keely and Mrs. Teslow, if that is alright with you, Mr. Diffy." Caleb stared pointedly at Phil, who dropped his hand with a glare. "Speaking of Keely", Caleb continued arrogantly. "Where is she? I know she's bound to be hungry after such an exciting day."

Phil scoffed loudly and sarcastically at Caleb's snide remark. Caleb whipped his head in Phil's direction. All manners pushed aside, Caleb replied, "And what could you possibly know of it, Diffy; fighting against your own…"

Phil pushed himself out of his chair, barely biting back the words he longed to say when Keely and Gran walked through the doorway. Phil's eyes rested gently on Keely's face, confirming what he already knew. She had been crying and it was all Caleb Walker's fault. Phil glanced in Caleb's direction. From his standing position, Phil could see that Caleb neither saw nor cared about the traumatized look on Keely's face.

"Good evening, Keely", Caleb said, maneuvering around the table to pull out her chair.

Keely sat down wearily, as if Caleb's presence drained her of all energy. Her eyes were lackluster and did not radiate as they usually did. Her face was pale and faintly tear stained. "Good evening Caleb and thank you," Keely murmured, eyes downcast. "Mr. Diffy", she continued, her eyes never looking up, but her voice revealing all the emotion she was trying so desperately to control. "Miss Teslow," Phil responded tenderly, his eyes trained as Keely's eyes flew up to meet his. He held her gaze a moment longer than necessary before Amanda Teslow's voice cut through the silence.

"Caleb was just about to tell us about your day together, Keely. I understand it was quite the adventure."

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Keely shot a horrified glance at her grandmother, who had just taken her seat at the table. She had relived the upsetting experience just moments before with Gran, and she didn't think she could bear to do it again, especially with the present company. Couldn't they see how much it pained her to even think about it? Talking about it would be torture. Keely chanced a glance at Phil. She got the distinct feeling that he had not stopped looking at her through the entire meal, yet she couldn't tear her eyes away from him. She couldn't place it, but somehow she knew…Phil Diffy was on her side; even if he wasn't before, he most certainly was now, and that made him the most important ally she had.

Keely heard her mother clear her throat, clearly annoyed. "Keely, would you be so kind as to tell us about your day?"

The fear and helplessness of that afternoon returned as soon as she turned to look at her mother. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing would come out. She looked around frantically, trying to calm herself and will the tears to stay unshed, but she couldn't do it. It was all too much. Panic shot through her body and she felt herself begin to lose control, when Caleb's voice rang through the tension.

"Let me tell it," Caleb said, reaching for Keely's hand. Keely snatched her hand away, but Caleb continued, unfazed. "Like I said this morning, my family is very lucky to have General McKeon as our personal informant. I didn't expect this particular battle to be half as exciting as it was, I must admit." Smiling down into Keely's face, Caleb added, "But, it was highly entertaining." The table listened intently as Caleb described every detail of that afternoon's horrific outing; from the gathering of friends to the close call of being caught in the crossfire. Keely's disgust for Caleb Walker grew as he told of the final explosion that had killed several of his own countrymen. Despite his constant preaching on the values of the Confederacy, he had as little regard for their lives as he did for the lives of Yankee soldiers.

"Once I got Keely to move, we loaded up safe and sound. Of course, we were never in any real danger. It's true that the good ol' South took a beating, but next time, mark my words, next time; they'll get what's coming to them. Each and every damned Yankee life will fall to the Confederacy. Each and every one of them," he added maliciously, glancing in Phil's direction. "Of course, it's only to be expected. A Yankee traitor is as good as dead anyway. There's not one Yankee in any Union army that knows how to fight a real war."

Phil sat silently through Caleb's narrative, trying to keep his temper in check. However, as Caleb's insulting words took a turn that included him and all his beliefs and experiences, he felt every emotion he'd kept inside since the beginning of the war boil and spill over. Phil violently pushed himself from his seat and turned to face Caleb Walker.

"You're wrong," Phil stated fiercely.

"Am I?"

"You know nothing of real war."

Anger flashed behind Caleb's eyes. "And you do, Diffy?"

"I do. I know, because I've been there."

Phil heard a collective gasp around the table, but was too angry to realize what an impact his revelation had made.

"You have no idea what its like," Phil continued. "You have no idea what it feels like to carry that heavy pack on your back or walk until it feels like your legs are going to fall off. But that heaviness doesn't even begin to compare to what it feels like to watch your friends die when you didn't. You don't know the seething hell of hiding in the brush, not knowing where you are or where the enemy is. You can't know what its like to wake up in the middle of the night, hearing the screams of those who've been forgotten on the battlefield; not knowing if it's a dream or real.

Phil's voice continued to rise until he was practically shouting at the whole table. However, when the most tragic of the memories began to flood his mind, he stopped talking altogether. He paused, fighting back the emotions that threatened to spill forward. Taking a shaky breath and gripping the back of his chair, Phil continued. What he had to say was too important to stop now. He glanced slowly around the table, finally resting on Caleb Walker's taunting face. His voice lowered into a dangerous whisper.

"You don't know what its like to measure the miles by the dead that you bury along the way."

Without warning, the images of Joshua's destitute face flashed before Phil's eyes, shortly followed by the tragic scene of his death. Immediately, Phil's sorrow turned into anger. Joshua was only a child, and he had died far before his time. He shouldn't have had to die; not when there were men like Caleb Walker, so proud of the South, who could fight for it. Yet, Caleb did nothing but treat war and human life as a plaything.

"You don't know a damned thing about war," Phil continued loudly, "because you sit in you fancy plantation and watch as boys fight a war you should be fighting."

Phil watched as this final blow struck Caleb full on. Caleb remained silent, but his eyes were deadly. Phil returned the gaze then turned to look at the impact his words had caused. Keely's mother gasped as her hands flew to cover the disgust written on her face; as if what Phil was saying couldn't possibly be true. Mrs. Teslow was shaking her head slightly, pity etched across her crinkled face…and Keely…Phil's hardened features softened as he saw what his words had done to her. She sat shaking in her chair, one hand gently pressed to her mouth, her eyes glossy and her cheeks pale. Phil imagined he'd his too close to what she had seen today. The pain he had caused them wasn't worth the relief the truth had brought. It was time to leave.

Walking over to Mrs. Teslow, he kissed her cheek and said quietly, "I should go, Mrs. Teslow. I'm sorry I ruined dinner."

"Not at all Phil," she whispered, her voice cracking. She patted his hand gently, her eyes sympathetic.

Despite his urgency to escape the dining room and against his better judgment, Phil found his eyes drawn back to Keely's face. His eyes apologized for what he could not say out loud. He nodded once and left the room in a stunned silence.

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So that was it, the secret that Phil Diffy had guarded so carefully. It all made sense now. All the stares and whispered remarks now made perfect sense. He had fought and suffered for the United States. He had left the South and fought for the Union on his own accord and now had to bear the consequences of fighting against the Confederacy; fighting for what he truly believed despite what was expected of him.

Keely choked back a sob. He had been through so much, and she…she had been horrible. Guilt and sympathy flooded her senses and she frantically looked toward the door to see if he was still there. He wasn't. It was too late. Keely turned her face away from those at the table, afraid they would see the disappointment his departure had wrought. Her eyes fell on the old coat rack in the kitchen. There, hanging next to a lacy apron was Phil's hat, the one he constantly twirled in his hands. He had forgotten it, Keely realized with a start. Seeing the hat hanging there, Keely was overcome with the desire to talk to him, to say anything that would make things better. Returning the hat was the perfect excuse.

She ran her eyes across the table once again, and finding that dinner had returned to its normal state, Keely quietly excused herself, retrieved the hat from its peg, and silently slipped out the front door. She was met with a shocking gust of wind that blew her skirt around her ankles and her hair across her forehead. Hastily brushing it back, Keely glanced upward to find that dark clouds had settled over Lexington. Under any other circumstances, Keely wouldn't have dared to be caught in a storm, but now she ignored the menacing clouds. Shuddering as another gust of wind hit her; Keely rapidly glanced at the front gate, hoping that Phil would be standing there. He wasn't, and that fact hit her harder than the roaring and the booming thunder that followed moments later. Keely sighed heavily and squeezed her eyes shut. With all the emotions of the day surging behind her and Phil's revelation fresh in her mind, it was all becoming difficult to bear. Tears threatened to spill behind her eyelids and her emotions raged uncontrollably, but Keely's mind only focused on Phil; the pained expression on his face as he told his story, the way his hands had turned white from gripping his chair so hard, and the awful flash of torment that had crossed through his eyes as he talked of the dead. A chill traveled up Keely's spine and she was reminded of the same chill that had clawed at her insides as she had locked eyes with Phil Diffy from her balcony. Her balcony! Keely's eyes grew wide with her discovery. That morning she had seen Phil coming in through the back gate. Was it possible that he could be there now? With new determination, Keely flew down the front steps and around the side of the house, kicking up fallen leaves as she ran. Another gust of wind loosened Keely's hair as she rounded the corner of the house, just into time to see Phil closing the gate behind him.

Relief poured through her and without a thought of etiquette or properness, called out, "Phil, wait!"

She watched as he stopped and turned to face her, surprise etched on his handsome face. Keely, despite her breathlessness and painful stitch in her side, hurried to the closed gate that divided them, her hand outstretched to give him the hat.

"You forgot this," she said quietly, the feelings of the past hour hanging awkwardly between them.

Phil gently took the hat from her hand and placed it between his own. He stared down for a moment before returning his eyes to her face, searching it.

She returned his gaze, taking in the eyes that had seen so much. And when a sob threatened to burst forth and the tears started to fill her eyes, she blurted, "I'm sorry-"

Phil opened the gate that stood between them, interrupting her apology. He held his hand out to her, his eyes understanding and bright.

"Keely…come with me."

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A/N: oh our goodness!! we are sooooo sorry that this took so long. we've been busy busy busy what with graduating high school and all. but we hope that yall don't hate us too much b/c we like this chapter. we will be continuing with this story even though we will be in college. we've been writing it for a long time so we're real tight!! but we hope you like this chapter. it took all summer but here it is!!! stay tuned.

love the girls.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter 18

"Where are we going?" Keely asked, fear etched in her voice. She did not quite feel content with the thought of wandering around in the dark with a storm on the way. She glanced down at their conjoined hands nervously, Phil seemed to have a plan and its purpose was too great to keep her from pulling away.

Suddenly, Phil turned to face her, a faint smile on his face. "We're almost there."

He never expected somebody to come after him, least of all Keely Teslow. When the memories of his time spent fighting had threatened to undo every ounce of control he had fought so hard to regain, Keely had somehow put aside what she had experienced that day and followed him. It was almost like she understood him and that was more than anyone had ever been able to give him since he'd come home to Lexington. Phil looked back at Keely as she tried to keep pace with him. _She called you Phil_. The corners of his mouth turned in amusement at the realization.

"What?"

Phil was brought out of his reverie by her simple question. There was something remarkably shy in her voice that slowed his pace into a walk. He suddenly became aware of his hand stilled curled around hers, and dropped it.

"Sorry? What did you say?"

Keely's eyes glanced down before coming to rest on his face. "It's just….you were smiling. Did I-"

"You called me Phil", he confirmed.

"And that made you smile?"

"Yes."

"Oh." Keely replied, surprised at his simple answer. However, she did not push him any further.

"It's just through there," gesturing to a grove of overhanging trees stretched out in front of them. The wind picked up suddenly, swirling the fallen leaves that surrounded them. The treetops bent, but the only sound was the wind whistling through the leaves.

Keely stepped in front of him and made her way through the swaying trees but Phil stayed behind.

He had been heading to this spot after the disastrous dinner, but he had never planned or even thought of sharing his place with Keely. It was difficult sharing such a refuge and he didn't even know why he was, but impulse was winning out over reason. He cautiously followed her through the trees to the clearing, where the old tree…his tree stood.

The clouds were rolling in fast, but the moon was still casting it's light onto the hill. Keely stood transfixed as Phil's tree loomed over her in the distance.

"What is this place?" Keely asked, in awe. Phil didn't answer. Keely looked over at him expectantly, but his eyes weren't focused on her or even on the old tree, but far away as if he were remembering something. Not wanting to disturb him, she quietly turned back to face the enormous tree. He hadn't seemed to hear her.

"This is where I come….mostly to think. Ever since I was little…and more often now." he admitted slowly after awhile.

Keely turned to face him. "This is where you were coming back from the morning-"

"I saw you on the balcony." Phil nodded in remembrance, a small smile tugging at his mouth. He glanced over to find her staring up at the tree, the wind blowing her loose hair around her shoulders; a sadness in her eyes.

"We ought to be heading back… it will be raining soon." Phil said quietly.

Keely turned , hugging her arms around herself to keep warm.

Phil nodded once and looked toward the sky as a flash of lightning danced across it, followed by a clap of thunder seconds later.

"It's going to rain," Phil said again with a laugh. He glanced again at Keely, his eyes bright.

"Why did you bring me here?" The sadness in her eyes was reflected painfully in her voice.

Phil's eyes softened recognizing the source of her sadness and he smiled down at her. "Well….technically it was you who followed me" he said lightly.

Keely smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. Something was still bothering her.

"What is it?" he asked with concern, the lightness of the moment dimming. Another flash of lightening brightened the sky, and the echoing thunder finally brought the rain. Phil quickly removed his jacket and tossed it over his head, forming a shelter against the rain. He motioned with his head, and Keely hastily ducked underneath the jacket.

She looked up at Phil again, this time allowing her gaze to linger on his face. It was still the same handsome face it had always been, the same strong features, and the same glowing, bold eyes that dared and challenged her so often. Keely realized how much she longed for friendship…his friendship. And yet, he wouldn't let her apologize to him. Why?

Keely hesitated before replying, "Before…at the gate. Why didn't you let me apologize?"

Amusement once again lit his face. She seemed so distraught and so serious! The truth was, he had accepted her months earlier without even realizing it, and had unconsciously waited patiently to be accepted in return. He paused for a moment, then said pointedly "Because there's nothing to apologize for."

"But I was so awful to you…and you went through so much."

"Kee-"

"No," she interrupted, "please let me finish. I was terrible, a spoiled brat even. I was judgmental and rude and obnoxious, everything I've tried my entire life not to be. I had no right to act the way I did. Not after you risked your life for something you believed in. I'm sorry, if I would've known-"

"Keely!" he said abruptly. The raindrops pelting their makeshift shelter echoed in the following silence.

"Please, don't apologize", he continued slowly. He paused for a moment, studying Keely's face. Her eyes were eager and bright, and he could see how much it meant to her that he accept her apology. "When I said that there was nothing to apologize for, I meant it. Phil cleared his throat, and took a step closer. " But, I accept your apology… and I'm sorry too."

Keely looked up and smiled gently, "Good. Now…why did you bring me here?"

Phil smiled at her determination and maneuvered them to the path leading back to the house. "Well, I hadn't really planned on it. It wasn't my first intention. But there's something about this place that makes it easier to think." Phil turned to face Keely. "What happened to you today…well it leaves its mark. I know what its like to see…" Phil cast his eyes down at the beaten footpath that lay in front of them. He could distinctly see the outline of the back gate in the distance. Inhaling deeply, he turned to look at her again. "If you need a place to go…to think…it's not a bad spot." Phil smiled brightly. "That's why I brought you here."

They fell into silence as Phil opened the gate motioning Keely in front of him, out from under his soaked jacket. Keely's skirt, once full, now lay in heavy damp folds, the hem discolored by bits of mud and grass. As she passed through, Keely turned to face him, the gate caught between them. Resting her hands on the top rung, Keely smiled. "Thank you, Phil." Phil returned her smile and nodded once, watching as she made her way up to the back porch. Suddenly she turned placed her hands against the stone column and shouted. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Phil raised a hand above his head and waved his affirmation slinging his jacket over one shoulder. "How's that for a spin?" he smiled to himself and headed back to the hotel. The storm of their lives had calmed, only for a moment, and in that calm they had become friends.

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